Mail Induction System

BTM/400/1000/B/G Mail Induction System

This Mail Induction System is designed to lift and tip a Mail Container at a discharge height of 1000mm. The Mail Induction System is a fully welded steel construction and is designed to be bolted to the floor. This Mail Induction System would be powered via a Helical Bevel gearbox and would tip the Mail Container to an optimum tipping angle of 170 degrees. The Mail Container was loaded into lift frame and raised by rotation of the lifting carriage by the motor gearbox. As the Mail Container is tipped over to the full tip angle the mail and parcels are discharged into the conveyor hopper. The Mail Container would be securely retained in the lift carriage in the fully tipped position.

Safety Guard to BS EN 14120:2015 Safety of Machinery Guards

The safety guard is constructed from 40 x 40 x 3mm box section and 3mm wire, 40mm aperture weld mesh to meet the guidelines of BS EN 14120:2015 Safety of Machinery Guards. It encloses the Mail Induction System to a height of 2200mm on two sides, 1000mm at the tipping side with a pair of interlocked hinged guard doors on the fourth side. The guard doors are electrically and mechanically interlocked to prevent the Mail Induction System from operating if either door is open. Additionally, the guard doors can only be opened when the lift carriage is at the full down position to prevent access whilst a load is raised. Also included was additional guarding around the tipping area with an electrically interlocked safety guard door at the side of the conveyor. This allowed access to retrieve any parcels that may fall out at this position and also to allow access for cleaning and maintenance to take place.

Mail Induction System Electrical Control

The Mail Induction System is fitted with an IP65 Stainless Steel Control Panel which is mounted on the safety guard at a convenient position to give good maintenance access under the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulation 1998 (PUWER). The Tipper Control included an Inverter to allow for speed control and it uses a Rotary Position Sensor to stop at the full up and full down positions. It also uses Over Travel Proximity Sensors which are independent of the Rotary Sensor.

The Control Panel is fitted with a PLC and HMI that allows features including:-

• Adjustment of the Full Up position
• Adjustment of the Full Down position
• A Tipper Counter
• Selection of the Mail Sweep Mode
• Interfacing with other equipment

The Tipper control sequence is as follows:-

• The Mail Container is loaded into the Mail Induction System and the Guard Door closed
• There is a photo sensor inside the safety enclosure that senses that the Mail Container is loaded correctly before the container can be tipped
• The Control On button is pressed followed by the System Start button which would cause the Mail Induction System to lift and tip
• The tipping cycle is automated so that once the full up position is reached and all of the mail is tipped out, the Mail Induction System will return to the full down position to allow the empty Mail Container to be replaced
• The guard gate interlock switch is released via a ‘Guard Release’ push button which allows the safety guard door to be opened
• The empty Mail Container can then be removed and replaced with a full one and the whole cycle repeated

Safe Approved Method of retrieving Mail

There is a safe method of entering the safety enclosure to retrieve any mail that may have dropped to the floor within the enclosure. The procedure is as follows:-

• An authorised person selects the ‘Mail Retrieval’ option via the HMI and drives the lift carriage to the full up position
• Once the tipper activates the Rotary Sensor and Up Over Travel Proximity Switch, the Mail Tipper System will stop and the motor gearbox brake will automatically engage preventing the Mail Tipper System from moving
• With the safety circuited disabled the autnorised person can now enter the safety enclosure and retrieve any mail
• Once the mail is retrieved, the authorised person drives the Mail Tipper System to the full down or home position
• Once at this position, normal operation can be resumed

Performance Notes

The time to tip a Mail Container after it is loaded and the guard doors are closed, is approximately 60 seconds, from full down, to full up and back. This includes tipping the Mail Container to a maximum angle of 170° and a 5 second dwell time at full up.

Mail Container Availability

The theoretical availability of the tipper is in excess 99% based on the tipper design, the duty cycle required, the component parts used in its manufacture and the general performance of similar lifting, tipping and handling systems of our manufacture.

Conveyor and Hopper

Type: Inclined Transfer Conveyor

Length: 2528mm Long

Width: 2000mm Wide

Belt Type: 2 Ply PVC Grip top with single tracking guide on underside

Infeed Height: 395mm

Outfeed Height: 1000mm (To be confirmed) + / - 50mm

Supports: Box section with adjustable feet

Angle: 14°

Side Guides: 600mm High each side of belt flared out to 1876mm

Speed: Adjustable

Gear Motor Type: Motorised drum 0.75kW, 3 Phase, 415Vac, 50 Cycle

Construction Material: Grade 304 Stainless Steel 304 brushed polish finish

Rollers: All mild steel welded construction crowned with tracking groove

Belt Tension: Tail roller adjustment

Product on Belt: General Parcel Mail from tipper up to 400 Kgs

Guards: Full Length Underguard

Conveyor Control

The Conveyor Control was incorporated into the main control panel and included an Inverter to give speed control between 0.2 and 1.0 meters/minute.