Wyma has recently installed the biggest Rotary Bin Tipper it has ever built, the company said in a news release. The Australian washing and packing line needed to handle four-ton carrot bins, requiring a modification of the produce reception and pre-wash areas, Wyma said. This included building a customized Bin Tipper and extending the capacity of the existing Wyma Wet Hopper to accommodate the size and weight of the field bins.
This new Rotary Bin Tipper is designed to ensure gentle handling, an effective and controllable discharge, and a robust construction taking into account the large weight involved, the company said.
Senior Design Engineer Peter Newstead opted for a Bin Tipper with two cradles, each with a distinct purpose:
- One outer cradle mounted to the main frame. This outer cradle drives the center pivot rotation electrically, and houses a belt lid and an inner cradle.
- One hydraulically operated inner cradle. The inner cradle houses the bin and lifts it up vertically to secure it against the back of the belt lid prior to rotation. After the full rotation is complete and the bin is inverted ready for discharge, the inner cradle pushes upward. A gap between the bin and the lid incrementally opens, gently releasing produce into the Wet Hopper.
As the inner cradle pushes upward, it is crucial to prevent produce being trapped and/or damaged at the bottom of the load, on the belt’s surface. Consequently, the unpowered conveyor belt is linked to the inner cradle and moves in sync with it. This reduces the amount of produce rubbing against the belt.
The new Rotary Bin Tipper also provides control of discharge, with the ability to set the speed at which the bin uplifts to prevent large surges of produce being unloaded at once, Wyma said. The Bin Tipper mechanisms, hydraulic, electrical and pneumatic, are all self-contained with the operator simply required to press a start dial on the remote control to activate the tipping motion.
Guide rollers in the four corners of the rotary frame have been reinforced to take a significant proportion of the weight as the bin rotates and extends out. The Bin Tipper is built from extra heavy-duty stainless steel to provide a robust frame and maximize durability, Wyma said.
This new Rotary Bin Tipper is designed to tip carrot bins weighing up to 4.5T. Bins are 3700mm (12.14 ft) wide.
