DEVICE, SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SEPARATING TRANSPORT BOATS

Abstract

A device for separating interconnected transport boats that are movable in a first plane in an intended direction of motion includes a substantially oval, non-circular separation disk aligned parallel to the first plane and connected to a rotary drive and a lifting device via a drive shaft. The separation disk is movable by means of the lifting device in the direction of the transport boats to be separated in order to engage with a corresponding total recess in the transport boats to be separated. In addition, the separation disk is rotatably movable in, and/or parallel to, the first plane by means of the rotary drive in order to separate the transport boats to be separated from each other by rotating the separation disk.

Claims

1. A device (16) for separating interconnected transport boats (12, 14) movable in a first plane in an intended direction of motion (20), comprising: a substantially oval, non-circular separation disk (22) aligned parallel to the first plane and connected to a rotary drive (26) and a lifting device (28) via a drive shaft (24), wherein the separation disk (22) is movable by means of the lifting device (28) in the direction of the transport boats (12, 14) to be separated in order to engage with a corresponding total recess (30) in the transport boats (12, 14) to be separated, and wherein the separation disk (22) is rotatably movable in and/or parallel to the first plane by means of the rotary drive (26) to separate the transport boats (12, 14) to be separated from each other by rotating the separation disk (22).

2. The device (16) according to claim 1, wherein the substantially oval non-circular separation disk (22) has an elliptical shape or a spiral shape.

3. The device (16) according to claim 1, wherein the substantially oval, non-circular separation disk (22) is force-fitted to the drive shaft (24).

4. The device (16) according to claim 1, further comprising a partition wall (36) intended to separate a region subjected to vacuum from a region subjected to ambient pressure, wherein the drive shaft (24) is guided in a sealed manner through a bushing (38) formed in the partition wall (36).

5. The device (16) according to claim 1, wherein the rotary drive (26) is arranged laterally to the drive shaft (24).

6. A system (10) for separating interconnected transport boats (12, 14), the system (10) comprising: at least two transport boats (12, 14), which are movable in a first plane in an intended direction of motion (20) and which are interconnected via end faces (12a, 14a) of the transport boats (12, 14) facing one another, wherein on each of the at least two transport boats (12, 14) in the region of the end faces (12a, 14a) facing one another, a partial recess (32, 34) is formed in such a way that, in the interconnected state of the at least two transport boats (12, 14), the partial recesses (32, 34) are aligned with one another and together form a total recess (30); a device (16) according to claim 1, comprising the substantially oval, non-circular separation disk (22) extending parallel to the first plane and connected to the rotary drive (26) and the lifting device (28) via the drive shaft (24), wherein the separation disk (22) is movable by means of the lifting device (28) in the direction of the at least two transport boats (12, 14) to engage the total recess (30) in the at least two transport boats (12, 14), and wherein the separation disk (22) is rotatably movable in the first plane by means of the rotary drive (26) to separate the at least two transport boats (12, 14) from each other by rotating the separation disk (22).

7. The system (10) of claim 6, wherein the device (16) further comprises a partition wall (36) separating a region subjected to vacuum from a region subjected to ambient pressure, wherein the drive shaft (24) is guided in a sealed manner through a bushing (38) formed in the partition wall (36) and wherein the at least two transport boats (12, 14) and the separation disk (22) are arranged in the region subjected to vacuum, while the rotary drive (26) and the lifting device (28) are arranged in the region subjected to ambient pressure.

8. A transport boat (12) for the system (10) according to claim 6, which is movable in a first plane in an intended direction of motion (20), wherein the transport boat (12) comprises at opposite ends each an end face (12a) intended for contacting an opposite end face (14a) of an adjacent transport boat (14), and wherein a partial recess (32) adapted to receive a portion of a separation disk (22) is formed in the region of the end face (12a) of the transport boats (12).

9. A method for separating interconnected transport boats (12, 14) movable in a first plane in an intended direction of motion (20), comprising the steps of: moving a substantially oval, non-circular separation disk (22) by means of a lifting device (28) in the direction of the transport boats (12, 14) to be separated, the separation disk (22) being aligned parallel to the first plane, inserting the separation disk (22) into a corresponding total recess (30) in the transport boats (12, 14) to be separated, and rotating the separation disk (22) by means of a rotary drive (26) in and/or parallel to the first plane to separate the transport boats (12, 14) to be separated from each other by rotating the separation disk (22).

10. The method according to claim 9, further comprising the step of: positioning the transport boats (12, 14) to be separated such that the total recess (30) in the transport boats (12, 14) is aligned in a line with the separation disk (22).

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the line is orthogonal to the intended direction of motion (20) of the transport boats (12, 14).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0036] Embodiment examples of the present invention are described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying schematic figures. They represent:

[0037] FIG. 1 a side sectional view of a system for separating interconnected transport boats according to an embodiment example.

[0038] FIG. 2 a top view of a sectional view of the system according to the embodiment example of FIG. 1.

FIGURE DESCRIPTION

[0039] Identical reference signs in the figures indicate identical or analogous elements.

[0040] FIGS. 1 and 2 show an exemplary embodiment of the system 10 according to the invention. FIG. 1 shows a side sectional view of the embodiment example, while FIG. 2 shows a top view of a sectional view. The system 10 comprises two interconnected transport boats 12, 14 and a device 16 for separating transport boats to be separated (in this case for separating the transport boats 12, 14).

[0041] In the embodiment shown, the planar transport boats 12, 14 are arranged in a tunnel 18 and are displaceable in a direction of motion 20 within this tunnel 18. The transport boats 12, 14 are each loaded with already sintered MOX pellets. As a result of the sintering process, the transport boats 12, 14 are caked at end faces 12a, 14a facing each other. However, the resulting tight connection of the transport boats 12, 14 is undesirable and is to be released with the aid of the device 16.

[0042] The device 16 according to the invention comprising a substantially oval, non-circular separation disk 22, the extension of which is parallel to the transport boats 12, 14. The separation disk 22 is connected via a drive shaft 24 to a rotary drive 26 and a lifting device 28 of the device 16. While the rotary drive 26 is located laterally of the drive shaft 24, the lifting device 28 is located at the lower end and in line with the drive shaft 24.

[0043] The device 16 is arranged below the tunnel 18, i.e. below the transport boats 12, 14. In the condition shown in FIG. 1, the two transport boats 12, 14 to be separated are positioned such that a total recess 30 formed by the two transport boats 12, 14 is located just above the separation disk 22 when viewed along the axis of the drive shaft 24.

[0044] In the embodiment shown, the total recess 30 has a rectangular shape (see FIG. 2) and is composed of two partial recesses 32, 34, one partial recess 32, 34 being formed in each of the two interconnected transport boats 12, 14. Each of the partial recesses 32, 34 extends from an end face 12a, 14a of the associated transport boats 12 and 14, respectively, in the direction of the center of this transport boat 12, 14. The total recess 30 formed by the two partial recesses 32, 34 has a recess length GL as viewed in the direction of motion 20 and a recess width GB transversely to the direction of motion 20, the recess length GL being composed of the lengths of the two partial recesses 32, 34 and the recess width GB corresponding to the respective width of the partial recesses 32, 34. In the embodiment shown, the total recess 30 has a smaller thickness than the transport boats 12, 14, i.e., the total recess 30 is accessible only from below and is not visible in an uncropped top view of the transport boats 12, 14 (not shown here).

[0045] The separation disk 22 is movable by means of the lifting device 28 in the direction of the transport boats 12, 14 to be separated (arrows HB) in order to engage with the corresponding total recess 30 or to be inserted into this total recess 30 by the lifting movement. Further, the separation disk 22 is rotatably movable about the axis of the drive shaft 24 by means of the rotary drive 26.

[0046] In the example shown, the separation disk 22 has a symmetrical oval shape having, among other things, two different widths A and B. The width B is greater than the width A. The width A of the separation disk 22 is less than the recess length GL of the total recess 30 as viewed in the direction of motion 20. The width B of the separation disk 22 is greater than this recess length GL. Both widths A and B of the separation disk 22 are smaller than the recess width GB of the total recess 30. These ratios and dimensions can be detected in particular from FIG. 2.

[0047] During the vertical lifting movement of the separation disk 22 for inserting the separation disk 22 into the total recess 30, the separation disk 22 is in a position in which it does not contact any of the boundary surfaces of the total recess 30 during inserting (neither in longitudinal direction nor in transverse direction to the direction of motion 20 considered).

[0048] By rotating the separation disk 22 by means of the rotary drive 26 about the axis of rotation of the drive shaft 24 following the inserting, the separation disk 22 can be rotated in the direction of motion 20 such that the width B of the separation disk 22 is substantially arranged in the direction of motion 20. This rotating is indicated in FIG. 2 by the arrow DR. As a result, the separation disk 22 comes into contact, at least selectively or over a large region, with boundary surfaces 12b, 14b of the total recess 30 that are opposite one another as viewed in the direction of motion 20, i.e. with a boundary surface 12b belonging to the transport boat 12 and a boundary surface 14b belonging to the transport boat 14. Since the width B of the separation disk 22 is greater than the recess length GL of the total recess 30, the described rotating of the separation disk 22 applies opposite forces in the horizontal direction across the boundary surfaces 12b, 14b to the transport boats 12, 14 to be separated. More specifically, these opposite forces act in or against the direction of motion 20 on the opposing boundary surfaces 12b, 14b of the total recess 30 to cause intended separating of the interconnected transport boats 12, 14.

[0049] The device 16 comprises a partition wall 36 intended to separate a region subjected to vacuum from a region subjected to ambient pressure. As can be seen in FIG. 1, the tunnel 18, the transport boats 12, 14 located therein and the separation disk 22 are arranged in the region subjected to vacuum. In the region exposed to ambient air, the rotary drive 26 and the lifting device 28 are arranged. In order to realize this arrangement of the components of the device 16 in different regions, a bushing 38 is formed in the partition wall 36, through which the drive shaft 24 of the device 16 is guided in a sealed manner. The bushing 38 is thus a rotary lift bushing which permits both a rotating movement and a lifting movement of the drive shaft 24, and yet seals off the region subjected to vacuum from the region subjected to ambient pressure in a pressure-tight manner.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0050] 10 system [0051] 12 transport boat [0052] 12a end face of transport boat 12 [0053] 12b boundary surface of the partial recess 32 [0054] 14 transport boat [0055] 14a end face of the transport boat 14 [0056] 14b boundary surface of the partial recess 34 [0057] 16 device [0058] 18 tunnel [0059] 20 direction of motion [0060] 22 separation disk [0061] A smaller width of separation disk 22 [0062] B larger width of separation disk 22 [0063] 24 drive shaft [0064] 26 rotary drive [0065] 28 lifting device [0066] 30 total recess [0067] 32 partial recess of transport boat 12 [0068] 34 partial recess of transport boat 14 [0069] 36 partition wall [0070] 38 rotating lift bushing [0071] GL recess length of total recess 30 [0072] GB recess width of total recess 30 [0073] HB direction of lifting motion [0074] DR direction of rotary motion