AU2006203470A1

AU2006203470A1 - Guide roller

Info

Publication number: AU2006203470A1
Application number: AU2006203470A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Berend Jan Werkman
Original assignee: BEREND WERKMAN
Current assignee: BEREND WERKMAN
Priority date: 2005-01-27
Filing date: 2006-01-27
Publication date: 2006-09-07
Anticipated expiration: 2026-01-27
Also published as: AU2006203470A8; WO2006081594A1; AU2006203470B8; ZA200710841B; AU2006203470B2

Description

WO 2006"081594 WO 206/01594PCT/LA2006/0000 14 TITLE OF THE INVENTION GUIDE ROLLER BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION Skips used along mining shafts are guided against lateral displacement during shaft traversal way of shaft mounted rails intermediate which the skips are displaced, Guiding is achieved by means of guide roller assemblies that are fitted on opposite sides to the skips, They are arranged to accommodate especially non-linearity along skip guide railing. The problem experienced during operation is rapid wear of the movable parts of such guide roller assemblies that Is compounded by the extensive build up of heat in the rollers and mechanisms during use, WIELD OF THE INVENTION This Invention relates to a rolling facility used for buffering the variation in relative lateral motion as regards the direction of movement between equipment fitted with one or more rolling facilities, depending on the nature of such equipment, and one or more rolling surfaces against which the one or more facilities run once in operative use. While not so limited the rolling facility of the invention is usefully applicable as a guide roller in forming part of a guide roller assembly used for guiding a conveyance between facing guide rails along a guide shaft.

PRIOR ART DESCRIPTION 2o According to presently used art guide roller assemblies used for guiding skips along shafts are guided against lateral displacement during shaft traversal by means of rigid guide rollers that are mounted via resilient mounting mechanism to brackets forming part of the guide roller assemblies. Being so rigid the rollers as well as their mounting mechanisms are subject to rapid wear as such skips especially when charged with ore have great inertia thus exerting large lateral forces during shaft traversal, This problem Is compounded by the extensive build up of heat in the rollers and mechanisms during use. It is, amongst others, an object of this invention to alleviate this situation.

WO 20061081594 206/01594PCT/ZA2006/0000 14 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING The Invention is now described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings Figure 1 shows one embodiment of a rolling facility in the form of a guide roller of the kind amongst others used in guide roller assemblies to guide a conveyance along a guide shaft In conventionally running between facing guide rails in side elevation, Figure 2 shows the guide roller of figure 1 along section line A-A In figure 1, Figure 3 shows another embodiment of the guide roller In side elevation, Figure 4 shows' a typical guide roller cluster forming part of a guide roller assembly as to securable to a shaft bound conveyance via an assembly bracket (not shown in the drawing) also forming part of the assembly, and Figure 5 diagrammatically explains the functioning of the figures 1 and 2 embodiment if the roller.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS is Referring to the drawings a rolling facility, according to the invention, in the form of a guide roller of the kind used in guide roller assemblies the latter of which a plurality are used for guiding a conveyance along a guide shaft is generally indicated by reference numeral The roller 10 comprises a rotor core 12 constituted from a hub 14 fitted with a circumferentially extending centrally mounted radial disk 16 presenting a circumferential rim 18 along its outer edge and a firm though flexible surface engageable loop shaped formation in the form of an outer band and flexible ring combination 20 that is spaced from the rotor core 12 by spacing means generally indicated by reference numeral 22 in the form of resilient material such as an appropriate type of rubber that enables the spacing means 22 to serve a cushioning or suspension function during use of the roller 10 as operatively fitted and that is moulded between the rim 18 and the combination 20. In addition to its resilience the rubber Is also selected to serve a heat dissipation function.

The combination 20 is formed to circularly encircle the axis 21 of rotation of the roller 10 when unexposed to the exertion of an externally applied radially directed force, It is adequately firm but somewhat flexible to extend against substantial though preferably not more that marginal deformation when becoming exposed to the exertion of such radial force, When so exposed it becomes displaced off-centre relative to the axis 21, as discussed below? under such WO 2006/081594 PC TZA2006/0000 14 conditions involving the suspension effect of the spacing means When exposed to a large force the combination may thus not necessarily retain its fully circular shape.

The combination 20 is in the form of an outer band as provided by a solid rubber tyre 24 moulded to a flexible ring 26. The firmness though limited flexibility of the combination 20 is mainly brought about by the properties of the ring 26. The tyre 24 is formed with outwardly tapering sidewalls 28 tapering at an angle of in the order of 45 degrees to its rolling surface The object of the tapering is to accommodate the stresses generated within the tyre 24 when the roller 10, as in use, becomes exposed to the application of large radially applied axially directed forces as brought about by the relative lateral displacement of a conveyance such as an ore skip conventionally fitted with guide roller assemblies (not shown) each incorporating a roller cluster 32 constituted of rollers 10 as discussed below. The tyre 24 is less resilient than the rubber of the spacing means 22 as it is required to be both of high strength and wear resistant whereas the function of the spacing means 22 is to serve a suspension effect and to be able to promote the dissipation of heat generated by its resilient cushioning movement during use as well as any heat reaching it from the rotor core 12.

In referring to figures 1 and 2 the spacing means 22 Is in the form of an intermediate annular band 34 fully occupying the intermediate zone 36 between the rim 18 and the combination To promote the even distribution of stresses within the roller 10 once in use the sidewalls 38 of the band 34 are concavely formed.

Alternatively and referring to figure 3 the spacing means 22 is in the form of circumferentially arranged regularly spaced spoke like formations 40 each again appropriately moulded at its opposite ends. The slenderness ratio of the spoke formations 40 are adequately large to prevent their buckling on becoming exposed to compressing forces, As with the band 34 of the figures 1 and 2 embodiment the spoke formations 40 are also concavely formed as s2 shown for some formations 40 by reference 40,1, whether narrowing fully circumferentially between flared ends or only along opposite sides.

The radial disk 16 is formed with a series of circumferentially spaced apertures 42 promoting the dissipation of heat generated in the hub. 14 once the roller 10 is in operative use. As shown in figure 2 the radial disk 16 in fact constitutes an inner band 16.1 integrally extending from the hub 14 and an outer band 16.2 Integrally formed with the rim 18 while being circumferentially bolted to the Inner band 16,1, This enables its release from the hub and inner band combination permitting the replacement of the hard working part of the roller i.e. from the rim 18 outward. Instead of a single disk 16 the rotor core 12 can Incorporate two WO 2006/081594 PCT/ZA2006/000014 disks that are regularly spaced relative to one another. This is typical for a roller that buffers the inter guide rail movement of a conveyance moving along a shaft.

In referring to figure 4 the cluster 32 is thus assembled to a bracket (not shown) in forming a guide roller assembly (not shown) conventionally fitted at upper and lower central positions along opposite sidewalls of a conveyance such as a skip (not shown). The guide roller assemblies run along conventionally secured facing guide rails 44. Two of the rollers 10,1 of each assembly conventionally run along opposite faces 46 of its guide rail 44 while a further roller 10.2 runs along its frontal face 48. As the rollers 10.2 must accommodate larger forces as created by relative lateral movement between the skip and the rails they are normally fitted i0 with twin disk layouts while the roller 10.1 Is fitted with a single disk 16.

In referring to figure 5 during operative use of a guide roller assembly (not shown) incorporating rollers 10 of the invention its outer band and flexible ring combination 20 when not urging against its rail 44, runs symmetrically about the axis 21, as shown in figure As soon as the conveyance (not shown) to which it is fitted via Its assembly is exposed to relative lateral motion in the direction of arrow 50, as perhaps brought about by non-linearity along the rail 44, the motion is required to be cushioned. This is accomplished by the suspensive effect of the resilient annular band 34 somewhat supplemented by the flexibility of the ring 26 in causing the outer band and flexible ring combination 20 to move appropriately off centre with respect to'the axis 21, as shown in figure 5(b) in turn involving the commensurate circumferentially disposed compression and expansion of the band 34.

While the rollers of conventional roller assemblies are displaceably mounted to their brackets via displacing mechanisms the advantage of the invention as specifically described is found in the inherent resilience of the rollers as such accommodating lateral conveyance displacement thus potentially dispensing with the displacing mechanisms. This substantially simplifies the mechanism of the roller assemblies. It will be appreciated that the conventional rigid rollers of existing assemblies can simply also be replaced by the rollers of the Invention us such way increasing the overall cushioning effect of such assemblies. A further advantage of the rollers of the invention is found in their ability to effectively dissipate heat amongst others serving to prolong their service life.

Claims

(5) CLAIMS

(1 ) A rolling facility (10) used for buffering the variation in relative lateral motion as regards the direction of movement between equipment fitted with one or more roiling facilities, depending on the nature of such equipment, and one or more rolling surfaces against which the one or more facilities run once in operative use as carried by such equipment comprising a rotor core (12) at least incorporating if not constituting a hub (14) and presenting a circumferential rotor core rim (18) and via which hub (14) the rolling facility is connectable via a shaft to such equipment, and a surface engageable loop shaped formation (20) having firm though flexible properties that is spaced from the rotor core (12) via spacing means (22) situated within the annularly extending rotor core rim to loop shaped formation intermediate zone (36), characterised in that the spacing means (22) is of appropriate resilient nature, as defined by the specific use of the rolling facility, to serve a suspension function for cushioning lateral equipment to rolling surface movement while the loop shaped formation (20) extends at least substantially circularly about the axis of rotation of the rolling facility when unexposed to the exertion of an externally applied radially directed force though being adequately firm to still extend against substantial deformation, if at all, when becoming so exposed while in such case involving the suspension function of the spacing means (22), the latter further being disposed to retain the rotor core (12) and loop shaped formation (20) at least substantially symmetrically arranged about their common central plane even when exposed to the exertion of such externally applied force.

(2) A rolling facility as claimed in claim 1 in which the spacing means (22) is in the form of resilient material not necessarily extending continuously that is adequately compressibly expandable to serve a suspension function and that is securely fixed to the loop shaped formation (20) and the rim (18) while being of adequate width to promote the maintenance of the symmetrical relationship between the rotor core (12) and the loop shaped formation (20) as regards their common central plane.

(3) A rolling facility as claimed in claim 2 in which the compressibly relaxable resilient material fully occupies the annular rotor body rim to loop shaped formation intermediate zone (36) thus being in the form of an intermediate band (34) of which the circumferential inner and outer face widths at least substantially conform respectively with the widths of the rim (18) and the loop shaped formation (20) between which it thus extends. (4) A rolling facility as claimed in claim 3 in which the sidewalls (38) of the intermediate band (34) are concavely formed to promote the even distribution of stresses there within during use of the rolling facility.

(5) A rolling facility as claimed in claim 2 in which the compressibly relaxable resilient material extends in a circumferentially regularly spaced spoke type pattern within the rotor body rim to loop shaped formation intermediate zone (36) by way of spoke formations (40) having slenderness ratios that limit their buckling on becoming exposed to compressing forces.

(6) A rolling facility as claimed in claim 5 in which the spoke formations (40) are concavely formed to promote the even distribution of stresses there within during use of the rolling facility.

(7) A rolling facility as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 6 in which the compressibly expandable resilient material is of a kind that also promotes the dissipation of heat that becomes generated once the facility as suitably fitted is in use.

(8) A rolling facility as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 7 in which the spacing means (22) is of suitably resilient rubber compound.

(9) A rolling facility as claimed in any one of claims 2 to 8 in which the spacing means (22) is integrally moulded to the loop shaped formation (20) and the rim (18).

(10) A rolling facility as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the loop shaped formation (20) has adequately firm though flexible properties to result in its full off centre displacement relative to the axis of rotation of the facility (10) once exposed to the exertion of a radially disposed inward force though when so exposed not necessarily fully retaining its at least substantially fully circular shape while causing the commensurate circumferentially disposed compression and expansion of the spacing means (22).

(11) A rolling facility as claimed in claim 10 in which the loop shaped formation (20) is in the form of an outer band and flexible ring combination comprising an outer band (24) that is of firm but resilient material that is secured to a flexible ring (26) via the inner surface of which the combination (20) is in turn secured to the spacing means (22), the outer band (24) in serving as a solid tyre, being selected for amongst others being abrasion resistant.

(12) A rolling facility as claimed in claim 11 in which the outer band (24) is moulded to the flexible ring (26).

(13) A rolling facility as claimed in claim 11 or claim 12 in which the outer band (24) is formed with outwardly tapering sidewalls (28) tapering outward from its running surface (30) at an angle of between 30 degrees and 50 degrees serving the purpose of limiting the stresses generated there within when the rolling facility is in use exposed to the application of large radially inwardly directed forces.

(14) A rolling facility as claimed in claim 13 in which the tapering is in the order of 45 degrees. (15) A rolling facility as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the rotor core (12) is constituted of the hub (14) as fitted with at least one radially outwardly extending annular disc (16) along the outer edge of which disk the rotor core rim (18) extends, in the case of the core (16) incorporating one disk (16) the latter extending outward from substantially the central circumferential line of the hub (18) while when more than one, then extending generally in a regularly spaced relationship from the hub (18).

(16) A rolling facility as claimed in claim 15 in which the disk (16) is formed with circumferentiaily spaced apertures (42) to promote the dissipation of heat generated in hub (18) prior to reaching the spacing means (22) once the facility as operatively fitted is in use.

(17) A rolling facility as claimed in claim 15 or claim 16 in which the rotor core (16) and the remainder of the facility (10) are releasably secured to one another to enable re-use of the core (16).

(18) A rolling facility as claimed in any one of the preceding claims that is in the form of a guide roller (10) of the kind used for guiding a conveyance along a guide shaft by way of suitably fitted guide roller clusters (32) forming part of roller assemblies running along opposite guide rails (44) extending along such shaft.