Abstract
The invention relates to a dosing apparatus for dosing bulk material into block forming elements, and for arrangement on a filling car of a filling apparatus of a block-making machine for manufacturing patterned blocks, in particular paving blocks. The filling car may be pushed forward and backward over block forming elements in a displacement direction, and a first bulk material component may be filled into the block forming elements with this car. The dosing apparatus comprises at least one filling box that has a lower outlet that may be opened and closed by means of a closure. A second bulk material component may be filled from the filling box into the block forming elements via the lower outlet.
Claims
1. Dosing apparatus (1) for dosing bulk material into block forming elements (2) and for arranging on a filling car (3) of a filling apparatus of a block-making machine (4) for producing patterned blocks, in particular paving blocks, wherein the filling car (3) may be pushed back and forth in a displacement direction (V) via block forming elements (2) and a first bulk material component may be filled into the block forming elements (2) with the latter, and the dosing apparatus (1) comprises at least one filling box (5), wherein the filling box (5) has a lower outlet (6) that may be opened and closed by means of a closure (7), wherein a second bulk material component (8) may be filled from the filling box (5) into the block forming elements (2) through the lower outlet (6), characterized in that the outlet (6) in its open state may still be closed in partial areas (9) in a direction (Q) transverse to the displacement direction (V) with the aid of a partial closure element (15), so that the second bulk material component (8) may be filled into the block forming elements (2) in segments, and the second bulk material component (8) that emerges in segments may be moved back and forth in a transverse direction (Q) transverse to the displacement direction (V) and relative to the block forming elements (2) with the aid of a drive unit (10) arranged on the dosing apparatus (1).
2. Dosing apparatus (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the outlet (6) is arranged transverse to the displacement direction (V), over the entire width of the filling box (5).
3. Dosing apparatus (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that at least when the closure (7) is in an open state, the partial closure element (15) is arranged directly in front of the outlet (6) and the partial closure element (15) has recesses (9a) in its extension that covers the outlet (6), so that the outlet (6) may be closed by means of the partial closure element (15) in partial areas (9), and the second bulk material component (8) may be filled from the filling box (5) into the block forming elements (2) through the recesses (9a).
4. Dosing apparatus (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the partial closure element (15) is replaceable.
5. Dosing apparatus (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the dosing apparatus (1) has at least one frame apparatus (11) arranged on at least one side of the filling box (5) to which the filling box (5) may be fastened in a suspended manner.
6. Dosing apparatus (1) according to claim 5, characterized in that the filling box (5) may be moved back and forth relative to the frame apparatus (11) in at least one direction (Q) transverse to the displacement direction (V), by means of the drive unit (10).
7. Dosing apparatus (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that at least the partial closure element (15) may be moved back and forth relative to the filling box (5) in at least one direction (Q) transverse to the displacement direction (V), by means of the drive unit (10).
8. Dosing apparatus (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the closure (7) is designed as a slider, wherein the closure (7) may be displaced at least in one displacement direction parallel to the plane of the opening of the outlet (6) and may thus be brought from a position that closes the outlet (6) into an opened position.
9. Dosing apparatus (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the partial closure element (15) is designed as part of the closure (7), wherein the partial closure element (15) is arranged directly in front of the outlet (6) in the opened position of the closure (7), and closes the outlet in partial areas (9).
10. Dosing apparatus (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that a plurality of partial closure elements (15b, 15c) are arranged on top of one another in the displacement direction of the closure (7), wherein the closure (7) may be displaced in the displacement direction into different opened positions, in each of which respectively, a partial closure element (15b, 15c) is arranged in front of the outlet (6).
11. Dosing apparatus (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the closure (7) is designed as a flap that may be brought from a position that closes the outlet (6) into an opened position by rotation about a rotation axis arranged parallel to at least one of the outer edges of the closure (7).
12. Method for producing patterned blocks, in particular paving blocks, by means of a filling apparatus of a block-making machine (4) comprising block forming elements (2), a filling car (3) by means of which a first bulk material component may be filled into the block forming elements (2), and which may be pushed back and forth over the block forming elements (2) in a displacement direction (V), and a dosing apparatus (1) arranged on the filling car (3), the dosing apparatus (1) comprising at least one drive unit (10) and a filling box (5), the filling box (5) having a lower outlet (6) that may be opened and closed with the aid of a closure (7), the outlet (6) in the open state also being closable in partial areas (9) in a direction (Q) transverse to the displacement direction (V) with the aid of a partial closure element (15), so that the second bulk material component (8) may be filled in segments into the block forming elements (2), comprising the steps: filling the first bulk material component from the filling car (3) into the block forming elements (2) by moving the filling car (3) over the block forming elements (2) in or opposite a displacement direction (V); opening the closure (7) of the outlet (6) of the dosing apparatus (1) and filling the second bulk material component by moving the dosing apparatus (1) over the block forming elements (2) in or against the displacement direction (V), with simultaneous back-and-forth movement of the emerging second bulk material component relative to the block forming elements (2) with the aid of the drive unit (10), in a transverse direction (Q) transverse to the displacement direction (V).
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0039] Preferred and alternative examples of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the following drawings.
[0040] FIG. 1 is a side view showing the basic arrangement of the individual components of a filling apparatus of a block-making machine 4 in one embodiment.
[0041] FIG. 2 is a schematic sketch of a top view of the dosing apparatus 1.
[0042] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a representation of the dosing apparatus 1.
[0043] FIG. 4 is a representation of the dosing apparatus 1 along a section in a displacement direction V.
[0044] FIG. 5a is a front view of the dosing apparatus 1 with the outlet 6 closed.
[0045] FIG. 5b is a front view of the dosing apparatus 1 with the outlet 6 opened.
[0046] FIG. 6 is a schematic representation of a top view of a completely filled block forming element 2.
[0047] FIG. 7 is a detailed drawing of the closure 7 according to one embodiment.
[0048] FIG. 8a is a front view of the dosing apparatus 1 with another partial closure element 15.
[0049] FIG. 8b is a detailed drawing of the other partial closure element 15.
[0050] FIG. 8c is a detailed drawing of another partial closure element 15.
[0051] FIG. 9 is a schematic top view of the dosing apparatus 1 and the block forming elements 2.
[0052] FIG. 10a is one possible arrangement of the dosing apparatus 1 on the filling car 3.
[0053] FIG. 10b is another possible arrangement of the dosing apparatus 1 on the filling car 3.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
[0054] FIG. 1 shows a side view of the basic arrangement of the individual components of a filling apparatus of a block-making machine 4 in one embodiment. The dosing apparatus 1 is arranged at the front of the filling car 3 in the displacement direction V. The dosing apparatus 1 and the filling car 3 each respectively have a filling box 5, 35, that may be filled from above with bulk material with the aid of the silo 31. The silo 31 preferably has a partition wall 34 that partitions the interior of the silo 31 into a first and second chamber 32, 33, in which different bulk material components may be stored separately from each other and from there may be filled into the filling boxes 5, 35 separately via respective outlets 32a, 33a. However, it is likewise possible that only the first bulk material component may be filled into the filling car 3 by means of the silo. In this case, the dosing apparatus 1 may preferably be filled with the second bulk material component 8 using a separate silo. This second silo may be arranged anywhere. This takes account of the fact that, due to the low throughput of the second bulk material component 8, the dosing apparatus 1 does not necessarily have to be filled as frequently with the first bulk material component as does the filling car 3. The filling car 3 and dosing apparatus 1 may be moved together in or opposite the displacement direction V by means of block forming elements 2. In this case, bulk material components may be filled into the block forming elements through outlets 6, 36 in the filling boxes 5, 35. The filling box 5 of the dosing apparatus 1 has a closure 7 for closing the outlet 6. Preferably, the outlet 36 of the filling box 35 also has a closure.
[0055] FIG. 2 shows a schematic sketch of a top view of the dosing apparatus 1; The filling box 5 of the dosing apparatus 1 and the filling car 4 are arranged above the block forming elements 2 and may be moved in and opposite the displacement direction V. The block forming elements 2 are arranged in a matrix that consists of a plurality of rows 21, 22, 23, which are arranged next to each other, offset in the displacement direction V. In each block forming element 2, one block may be formed. The filling box 5 of the dosing apparatus 1 may be moved back and forth in transverse direction Q, which is arranged perpendicular to the displacement direction V and horizontally.
[0056] FIGS. 3 and 4 show the dosing apparatus 1 in perspective view (FIG. 3) and along a section in the displacement direction V (FIG. 4). The filling box 5 has a filling opening 40 on its upper side. The outlet 6 is arranged at the lower end of the front 41 of the filling box 5, which points in the displacement direction V. The closure 7 is designed as a slider that may be opened and closed by means of a drive 42. The back 43 of the filling box 5 is preferably designed to be removable. Preferably, the back side 43 merges into the bottom 45 of the filling box with a rounding 44. To better empty the filling box 5, the bottom 45 may be inclined toward the outlet 6. For this purpose, a stirring element 52 may also be arranged inside the filling box 5, and may be rotated with a chain drive 52a. The stirring element 52 may preferably be designed as a stirring shaft or as a dosing shaft. It is likewise possible to use a vibrating element instead of the stirring element 52, and by means of this element, bulk material residues may be moved out of the filling box 5 through the generation of vibrations. The quantity of the second bulk material component 8 fed to outlet 6 is preferably adjustable. The feed quantity is preferably controlled by means of the stirring element 52. Preferably, the speed of the stirring element 52 is adjustable. The filling box 5 is suspended from the frame apparatus 11 at the box's upper corners, with at least one lever 46 respectively. The lever 46 is rotatably fastened at one end 48 to a preferably L-shaped support element 47 of the frame apparatus 11. The support element preferably has a first, vertical leg 47a, which is attached to the side element 53, and a second, horizontal leg, to which the lever 46 is rotatably fastened by means of its first end 48. At its other end 49, the lever 46 is rotatably fastened to the filling box 5. The levers 46 of two respective upper corners of the filling box 5, located one behind the other in the displacement direction, are preferably connected by a shared rotation axis 49a arranged parallel to the displacement direction V. Preferably, the support elements 47 of two upper corners of the filling box 5, being located behind each other in the displacement direction, are respectively connected by a connecting element 47c, arranged parallel to the displacement direction V. The side elements 53 are connected to each other via rods 54 and a rear wall 55, in such a way as to enclose the filling box 5. The filling box 5 may be moved back and forth in relation to the frame apparatus in the transverse direction Q by means of the drive unit 10 and the rotatable fastening of the levers 46. Preferably, the drive unit 10 is arranged on the front 41 of the filling box 5. The drive unit is preferably designed as a pneumatic bellows cylinder 10, 50. The filling box 5 hitting the side elements 53 may be prevented by means of adjustable end stops. To protect all the drive elements 10, 42, the frame apparatus 11 has a cover 51 on its front side, which is a U-profile with a base side 51a, a longer left leg 51b and a shorter right leg 51c. To transport the dosing apparatus 1, the frame apparatus 11 has fastening eyelets 56.
[0057] FIGS. 5a and 5b show a front view of the dosing apparatus 1. FIG. 5a shows the dosing apparatus 1 with a closed outlet 6. FIG. 5b shows the dosing apparatus 1 with an open outlet 6. When in a closed state, the closure 7 completely closes outlet 6. The closure 7 and partial closure element 15 arranged thereon may be moved in the vertical direction R with the drive 42. The drive 42 is preferably designed as two pneumatic cylinders that work in parallel. The outlet 6 may be opened by moving the shutter 7 upward in the vertical direction R. Preferably, both the open and the closed positions of the slider may be precisely adjusted by end stops 42a. In the open state, the partial closure element 15 is arranged with the alternating profile 13 in front of the outlet 6 and closes partial areas thereof 9. Through the partial areas that the alternating profile 13 does not close, i.e. the recesses 9a (marked twice for clarity) of the partial closure element 15, the second bulk material component 8 emerges in segments from the outlet 6 and may be filled into the block forming elements 2. At the same time, the filling box 5 with the drive unit 10 may be moved in the transverse direction Q, so that the recesses 9a of the outlet 6, and thus also the second bulk material component 8 that emerges from them, are movable relative to the block forming elements 2.
[0058] FIG. 6 shows a schematic top view of a completely filled block forming element 2. The block forming element 2 is almost completely filled with the first bulk material component 57. On the surface of the first bulk material component 57, the second bulk material component 8, which has a different color than the first bulk material component 57, is applied wave-like strips with the aid of the dosing apparatus, the outlet 6 of which is closed in segments, and simultaneous linear movement thereof in the displacement direction V and simultaneous back and forth movement in the transverse direction Q. The strips shown here are arranged parallel to the displacement direction V.
[0059] FIG. 7 shows a detailed drawing of the closure 7 with a partial closure element 15 arranged thereon. The closure comprises a flat part 14 and is designed as a surface element 12. The partial closure element 15 is designed with an alternating profile 13, which comprises teeth 58 and recesses 59 that are arranged next to each other, alternating, in a transverse direction Q. The teeth 58 and recesses 59 are rectangular and preferably have a horizontal base 58a, 59a and a vertical left edge 58b, 59b and vertical right edge 58c, 59c. The recesses 59 have a width b.sub.1. The teeth 58 have a width b.sub.2. The teeth 58 are arranged in the open state in front of outlet 6 and partially close it. When the recesses 59 are in the open state, the second bulk material component 8 exits the outlet 6 through them. The width b.sub.1 of the recesses 59 directly influences the width of the wave-like strips in which the second bulk material component 8 is filled into the block forming elements 2 (see FIG. 6). The width b.sub.2 of the teeth 58 directly influences the distance between the wave-like strips. The partial closure element 15 is detachably fastened to the flat part 14 of the closure 7. Preferably, the partial closure element 15 and flat part 14 have holes 14a and 15a, and the two parts may be fastened to each other using screws in these holes. The partial closure element 15 may be replaced by another partial closure element.
[0060] FIG. 8a shows the dosing apparatus 1 with another partial closure element 15. The partial closure element 15 shown is enlarged in FIG. 8b. This partial closure element 15 is suitable for the use of different opened positions of the closure 7. The recesses 9a are of a rectangular design. The recesses are arranged next to each other in the horizontal direction and slightly offset in the vertical direction. The rectangular shape has a greater extent in the horizontal direction than in the vertical direction. All recesses are arranged in the surface of the partial closure element 15 with at least a small distance to the edge 15d of the partial closure element 15. For fastening, the partial closure element 15 has holes 15a. The partial closure element 15 has upper recesses 91 and lower recesses 92, which may be respectively arranged in front of the outlet 6 through different opened positions of the closure 7.
[0061] FIG. 8c shows an additional embodiment of the partial closure element 15. In this embodiment, recesses 9a are arranged in the surface as directly adjoining the lower edge 15d, as well as in the surface of the partial closure element 15. This partial closure element 15 also has holes 15a for fastening.
[0062] FIG. 9 shows a top view of the dosing apparatus 1 with completely filled block forming elements 2. When the block forming elements 2 are being filled with the second bulk material component 8, a partial closure element 15 is used, similar to the partial closure element 15 shown in FIG. 8b. Thus, the second bulk material component 8 may be filled into the block forming elements 2 in strips that are aligned transversely to the displacement direction V. In a first opened position of the closure 7, initially only the upper recesses 91 (see FIG. 8b) are arranged in front of the outlet 6 and generate the first strips 8a of the second bulk material component. The second strips 8b may be generated by arranging the lower recesses 92 (see FIG. 8b) in front of the outlet 6 in a second opened position of the closure 7. Depending on the speed of the position change between the two opened positions and/or the speed of the dosing apparatus 1 in or against the displacement direction V, any distance A between the first and second strips 8a, 8b may be generated in the block forming elements 2.
[0063] FIGS. 10a and 10b show various possibilities for arranging the dosing apparatus 1 on a filling car 3. FIG. 8a shows an embodiment in which the dosing apparatus 1 is arranged directly on the filling box 35 of the filling car 3. In the displacement direction V, a roller element 86 and a liftable and lowerable scraper element 85 are arranged directly next to the dosing apparatus 1. With this positioning, it is likewise possible to arrange the dosing apparatus 1 in the filling box 35 of the filling car 3, which however goes hand in hand with a reduced filling box volume of the filling car 3. In the arrangement sequence described, the second bulk material component 8, which is filled in strip form, is preferably leveled into the block forming elements 2 with the aid of the roller element 86; as a result, a more blurred strip pattern may be generated. FIG. 8b shows an alternative arrangement in which the roller element is arranged between the dosing apparatus 1 and the filling car 3 and the scraper element 85 is arranged on the other side of the dosing apparatus 1. When the second bulk material component 8 is being filled in the return stroke of the filling car 3 and dosing apparatus 1, and the scraper element 85 is raised, no further tool is arranged in the overrun, so as not to blur the strips of the second bulk material component. Preferably, smoothing of the surface takes place in a subsequent shaking process.
[0064] One embodiment of the invention may be characterized in that the outlet (6) in its open state may still be closed in partial areas (9) in a direction (Q) transverse to the displacement direction (V) with the aid of a partial closure element (15), so that the second bulk material component may be filled into the block forming elements in segments, and the second bulk material component that emerges in segments may be moved back and forth in a transverse direction transverse to the displacement direction and relative to the block forming elements with the aid of a drive unit arranged on the dosing apparatus.
[0065] The applicant reserves the right to claim that all features disclosed in the application documents are essential to the invention, provided that they are new over the prior art, either individually or in combination. It is further noted that characteristics were also described in the individual drawings, which may be advantageous in themselves. The skilled person will immediately recognize that a certain characteristic described in a drawing may be advantageous even without adopting other characteristics from this drawing. Furthermore, the skilled person recognizes that advantages may also arise from combining a plurality of features depicted in individual or different drawings.
LIST OF REFERENCES
[0066] 1 Dosing apparatus [0067] 2 Block forming elements [0068] 3 Filling car [0069] 4 Filling apparatus of the block-making machine [0070] 5 Filling box of the dosing apparatus [0071] 6 Outlet of dosing apparatus [0072] 7 Closure [0073] 8 Second bulk material component [0074] 8a First strips [0075] 8b Second strip [0076] 9 Closed partial areas [0077] 9a Recesses [0078] 10 Drive unit [0079] 11 Frame apparatus [0080] 12 Surface element of the closure [0081] 13 Alternating profile of the closure [0082] 14 Flat part of the closure [0083] 14a Bore [0084] 15 Partial closure element [0085] 15a Bore [0086] 15b Additional partial closure element [0087] 15c Another partial closure element [0088] 15d Edge [0089] 21 A first row of block forming elements [0090] 22 A second row of block forming elements [0091] 23 A third row of block forming elements [0092] 31 Silo [0093] 32 First chamber [0094] 32a Outlet [0095] 33 Second chamber [0096] 33a Outlet [0097] 34 Partition wall [0098] 35 Filling box of the filling car [0099] 36 Outlet of the filling car [0100] 40 Filling opening [0101] 41 Front [0102] 42 Drive [0103] 42a End stop [0104] 43 Rear [0105] 44 Rounding [0106] 45 Ground [0107] 46 Lever [0108] 47 Support element [0109] 48 End [0110] 49 Other end [0111] 49a Rotation axis [0112] 50 Bellows cylinder [0113] 51 Cover plate [0114] 51a Bottom [0115] 51b Left leg [0116] 51c Right leg [0117] 52 Stirring element [0118] 53 Side element [0119] 54 Rod [0120] 55 Rear wall [0121] 56 Fastening eyelets [0122] 57 First bulk material component [0123] 58 Teeth [0124] 58a Bottom [0125] 58b Left edge [0126] 58c Right edge [0127] 59 Recesses [0128] 59a Bottom [0129] 59b Left edge [0130] 59c Right edge [0131] 85 Scraper element [0132] 86 Roller element [0133] 91 Upper recesses [0134] 92 Lower recesses [0135] A Distance [0136] V Displacement direction [0137] Q Transverse direction [0138] R Direction of closure movement [0139] b1 Width of recesses [0140] b2 Width of teeth
[0141] While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, as noted above, many changes can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is not limited by the disclosure of the preferred embodiment. Instead, the invention should be determined entirely by reference to the claims that follow.
