AU2006243875B2

AU2006243875B2 - Hydraulic systems for mining vehicles

Info

Publication number: AU2006243875B2
Application number: AU2006243875A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Stephen Edward Ball; Stuart William Buchanan Barclay; Murray Bertram Bell
Original assignee: Waratah Engineering Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Waratah Engineering Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2006-11-27
Filing date: 2006-11-27
Publication date: 2013-01-31
Anticipated expiration: 2026-11-27
Also published as: AU2006243875A1; AU2006243875B8

Abstract

P:\WPDOCS\ARS\SPECIE\21 Nov Waratah_ Nc m ovaion Patentdoc-2 /l1/06 Apparatus for use in hydraulic systems for a vehicle, the apparatus including an hydraulic pump forming part of a first hydraulic circuit as a first vehicle, an hydraulic motor forming 5 part of a second hydraulic circuit of a second vehicle, said motor being operatively connected to said pump so that actuation of said motor drives said pump. Figure 1 20 22 38 28 29 Figure 2

Description

AUSTRALIA PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION NAME OF APPLICANT(S):: WARATAH ENGINEERING PTY LTD ADDRESS FOR SERVICE: DAVIES COLLISON CAVE Patent Attorneys 255 Elizabeth Street, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 2000 INVENTION TITLE: Hydraulic systems for mining vehicles The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us: 5102 P:\WPDOCS\ARS\SPECIE\21 Nov_Waratah_New Innovation Patentdoc-27/11/06 HYDRAULIC SYSTEMS FOR MINING VEHICLES This invention relates generally to an apparatus for use in hydraulic systems for vehicles 5 such as shuttle cars for use in subterranean mines. Shuttle cars typically comprise a vehicle body supported on ground engaging elements such as wheels or continuous tracks upon which the shuttle car can move. Shuttle cars are used for transporting mined material from one area in a mine to another. For example, the 10 shuttle car may transport mined material from the mine head to a storage area from which the material can be conveyed from the mine. To this end, the vehicle includes a conveyor having a loading end and a delivery end from which material is delivered to a discharge conveyor at the load area by which mined material is conveyed from the mine. The vehicle generally receives mined material from a loading or mining machine and transfers 15 it to a loading area, railway or belt conveyor system for removal from the mine. Vehicles of this type are often electrically powered the electricity being transmitted to the vehicle from a power source via a cable. This provides energy to the control and lighting system, the traction system, the discharge conveyor and the hydraulic system or power 20 pack. When a shuttle car is required to be relocated to another location in the mine, electrical power source is disconnected (disabling all functions including hydraulic steering and braking) and the shuttle car is often towed using a diesel powered prime mover. The 25 hydraulic system from the prime mover is used to supply hydraulic power for steering and braking of the shuttle car. The hydraulic system of the prime mover is fluidly connected to the hydraulic system of the shuttle car providing the potential for operating the various functions on the shuttle car. 30 The hydraulic pressure used in the prime mover is usually different and must be reduced to operate on the shuttle car. Furthermore, common oil is used in both machines resulting in C .NRPorbI\DCC\CABU807048 DOC-21112/2012 -2 the possibility of cross contamination and over fill of the shuttle car oil tank resulting in spillage. It is an object of the present invention to alleviate one or more of the aforementioned problems. 5 According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided an apparatus for use in hydraulic systems for a vehicle, the apparatus including an hydraulic pump forming part of a first hydraulic circuit, an hydraulic motor forming part of a second hydraulic circuit, said motor being operatively connected to said pump so that actuation of said motor drives said pump, wherein the first hydraulic circuit is for a first vehicle and the second hydraulic 10 circuit is for a second vehicle. The apparatus may include a hydraulic fluid reservoir which forms part of the first hydraulic circuit, the pump being disposed within the reservoir. Preferably both the pump and the motor are disposed within said reservoir. In one form the motor may include an inlet port and an outlet port with conduits extending 15 from said ports to couplings on a wall of the reservoir, the pump including an inlet port and an outlet port with a conduit extending from the outlet port to a coupling on a wall of the fluid reservoir. Thus the motor provides an auxiliary drive for the first hydraulic circuit. For example in the particular application of a shuttle car being towed by a prime mover such as a diesel 20 powered vehicle the motor is part of the hydraulic circuit of that vehicle and the pump is part of the hydraulic circuit of the shuttle car. Thus during the towing operation the motor can drive the pump so that the steering, braking and any other functions of the shuttle car can be utilized. Preferred embodiments of the invention will hereinafter be described with reference to the 25 accompanying drawings and in these drawings: P:\WPDOCS\ARS\SPECIE\21 Nov_WaratahNew Innovation Paten.doc-27/11/06 -3 Figure 1 is a schematic view of a shuttle car with which the apparatus of the present invention is suitable for use; and 5 Figure 2 is a schematic view of apparatus according to the present invention. Referring to the drawings there is shown a shuttle car 10 having a main body 11 with opposed end sections 12 and 13. The body 11 is supported on ground engaging wheels 14. A conveyor extends between end sections 12 and 13 and includes a conveyor section 10 having a discharge end, the conveyor section being pivotally mounted to the vehicle body 12 so that the discharge end can move from a lowered transport position to a raised discharge position. Referring to figure 2 there is shown a hydraulic fluid reservoir 20 which forms part of the 15 hydraulic system for a shuttle car of the type shown in figure 1. Within the reservoir 20 is mounted a hydraulic motor 25 and a pump 35. The pump 35 is operatively coupled to the motor 25 so as to be driven thereby. Coupling between the motor and pump may be effected in any suitable manner. The motor 25 includes an inlet port 26 and an outlet port 27 which are connected to couplings 28 and 29 in the wall 22 of the reservoir 20 via 20 conduits in the form of hoses 30 and 31. The couplings 28 and 29 are in fluid communication with the hydraulic system of a vehicle such as a diesel-powered prime mover which is used to move the shuttle car from one location to another. The pump 35 includes an inlet port 36 and an outlet port 37, the outlet port being 25 connected to a coupling 38 in the wall 22 of the reservoir 20 via a conduit in the form of a hose 39. Coupling 38 is in fluid communication with the other part of the hydraulic system for the shuttle car. In use the motor 25 and pump 35 are immersed in the hydraulic fluid within the reservoir 20 of the shuttle car hydraulic system. 30 Thus it will be appreciated that the two hydraulic systems are fluidly separate and independent of one another. The hydraulic motor 25 is coupled to the pump 35 and both P:\WPDOCS\ARS\SPECIE\21 Nov_Waratah_New Imovation Patendoc-27/11/06 -4 are installed inside the main hydraulic reservoir 20 of the hydraulic system of the shuttle car. The hydraulic system of the prime mover is connected only to the motor. The motor 25 acts as an auxiliary drive for pump 35 to deliver hydraulic power to the steering and brake of the shuttle car during towing. This arrangement has the advantage that there is 5 no over pressurising of the shuttle car hydraulic system. Furthermore, there is no risk of cross contamination, no spillage, reduced components and it is self contained. Throughout this specification and the claims which follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise", and variations such as "comprises" or "comprising", will 10 be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or step or group of integers or steps but not the exclusion of any other integer or step or group of integers or steps. The reference in this specification to any prior publication (or information derived from it), or to any matter which is known, is not, and should not be taken as an acknowledgment or 15 admission or any form of suggestion that that prior publication (or information derived from it) or known matter forms part of the common general knowledge in the field of endeavour to which this specification relates. Finally, it is to be understood that various alterations, modifications and/or additions may 20 be incorporated into the various constructions and arrangements of parts without departing from the spirit or ambit of the invention.

Claims

1. Apparatus for use in hydraulic systems for a vehicle, the apparatus including an hydraulic pump forming part of a first hydraulic circuit, an hydraulic motor forming part of a second hydraulic circuit, said motor being operatively connected to said pump so that actuation of said motor drives said pump, wherein said first hydraulic circuit is for a first vehicle and said second hydraulic circuit is for a second vehicle.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1 including a hydraulic fluid reservoir which forms part of the first hydraulic circuit, said pump being disposed within said reservoir.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2 where said pump and said motor are disposed within said reservoir.

4. Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said motor includes an inlet port and an outlet port with conduits extending from said ports to couplings on wall of said reservoir, said pump including an inlet port and an outlet port with a conduit extending from the outlet port to a coupling on a wall of the fluid reservoir.

5. Apparatus according to claim I wherein the first vehicle is a shuttle car and the second vehicle is a prime mover for towing the shuttle car when its normal power system is disabled, the motor providing a drive for the first hydraulic circuit.

6. Apparatus substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.