AU2012202881B2

AU2012202881B2 - Shackle assemblies and components for shackle assemblies

Info

Publication number: AU2012202881B2
Application number: AU2012202881A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Martin Simpson
Original assignee: SIMCO MINING PRODUCTS & SERVICES Pty Ltd
Current assignee: SIMCO MINING PRODUCTS & SERVICES Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2011-05-18
Filing date: 2012-05-17
Publication date: 2016-12-08
Anticipated expiration: 2032-05-17
Also published as: AU2012202881A1

Abstract

A shackle assembly including: a shackle having two opposed spaced apart legs defining a mouth and the legs having respective aligned shackle pin 5 passages therein towards their free ends; a removable shackle pin engaged in said shackle pin passages so as to close said mouLh; a locking pin passage in at least one of said legs partially intersecting one of said shackle pin passages and a 10 detent in said at least one leg adjacent said locking pin passage; a locking pin adapted to engage with said shackle pin and at least one of said legs for locking the shackle pin in the closed position, said locking pin including a shank and a 15 locking head, said shank having a longitudinal axis and being of substantially constant non-circular cross-section, and said locking head being mounted to said shank for movement relative thereto about a pivot axis substantially coaxial with or parallel to said longitudinal axis between a locking position 20 in which the locking head extends laterally beyond the shank and can engage said detent in said at least one leg to inhibit longitudinal movement of said locking pin relative to said leg, and a non-locking position in which it does not extend laterally beyond said shank and allows longitudinal movement 25 of said locking pin relative to said shackle. cL&H-I1115I6[edI7May2012 Fig. 6

Description

1 2012202881 17 May 2012 FROM Ahearn Fox 17 05 2012 14:57/ST,14:55 P005

SHACKLE ASSEMBLIES AND COMPONENTS

This invention relates to shackle assemblies and components for shackle assemblies. The invention has particular application to shackle assemblies for heavy lifting 5 equipment, shackle assemblies for connecting drag links and lift cables to dragline buckets, and shackle assemblies for other earth moving and mining equipmelnt and accordingly reference will be made to such applications. However, it will be appreciated that the invention may have use in other 10 applications and in particular some components may be used in some applications without other components.

Shackle assemblies of the type to which the invention relates typically have a U-shapcd shackle with two opposed legs defining a mouth and a shackle pin extending between the 15 two legs arid releasably engaged therewith to close the mouth. In largo shackle assemblies it can be difficult to easily secure the shackle pin in the engaged position. Thus, the present invention is aimed at providing a shackle assembly and a locking pin for releasably locking the shackle pin in the 20 engaged position. The invention is also aimed at providing a locking pin which can be'used to lock pins other than shackle pins in the operative position.

With the foregoing in view, the present invention resides broadly in a shackle assembly including a shackle having two 25 opposed spaced apart legs defining a mouth with each leg having a shackle pin passage therein adjacent its free end, a removable shackle pin engaged in said shackle pin passages to close the mouth, and a locking pin adapted to engage with said shackle pin and at least one of said legs for locking the 30 shackle pin in the closed position, said locking pin including an elongate shank of constant non-circular cros3-section and at least one end portion of substantially the same cross cLiil-LO 1115 tiled L 7May20 ] 2 COMS ID No: ARCS-369474 Received by IP Australia: Time (H:m) 15:12 Date (Y-M-d) 2012-05-17 2 2012202881 17 May 2012 FROM Ahearn Fox 17 05 2012 14:57/ST, 14:55 P006 section, said one end portion being mounted to the shank for movement relative thereto about a pivot axis extending longitudinally through said shank, said end portion being arranged such that in a non-locking position it aligns with 5 said shank and in a locking position protrudes radially beyond said shank, at least one of said legs and said shackle pin together defining a locking pin passage extending laterally of said shackle pin and being of substantially the same cross sectional shape as said locking pin, part of said locking pin 10 passage being in said one leg and part being in said shackle pin, said one leg having a detent adjacent said locking pin passage adapted to engage said end portion when in the locking position so as to prevent longitudinal movement Of said shackle pin thereby locking said shackle pin in said shackle 15 against longitudinal movement.

In another aspect, the invention resides broadly in a shackle assembly including: a shackle having two opposed spaced apart legs defining a mouth and the legs having respective aligned shackle pin 20 passages therein towards their free ends; a removable shackle pin engaged in said shackle pin passages so as to close said mouth; a locking pin passage in at least one of said legs partially intersecting one of said shackle pin passages and a 25 detent in said at least one leg adjacent said locking pin passage; a locking pin adapted to engage with said shackle pin and at least one of said legs for locking the shackle pin in the closed position, said locking pin including a shank and a 30 locking head, said shank having a longitudinal axis and being of substantially constant non-circular cross-section, and said

cL&l-IOl 1 l5fllc<l17Mny20lS COMS ID No: ARCS-369474 Received by IP Australia: Time (H:m) 15:12 Date (Y-M-d) 2012-05-17 3 2012202881 27 Jul2016 locking head being mounted to said shank for movement relative thereto about a pivot axis substantially coaxial with or parallel to said longitudinal axis between a locking position in which the locking head extends laterally beyond the 5 shank and can engage said detent in said at least one leg to inhibit longitudinal movement of said locking pin relative to said leg, and a non-locking position in which it does not extend laterally beyond said shank and allows longitudinal movement of said locking pin relative to said shackle. 0 Preferably, said locking pin passage has a shank portion of substantially the same cross sectional shape as the shank of the locking pin which is adapted to slidably receive therein the shank of the locking pin but prevent relative rotation and relative pivoting therebetween. In such form it is preferred 5 that a cavity extends into the shackle laterally beyond the shank portion of the passage thereby defining the detent on the outside of the passage. It is also preferred that the cavity be in part defined by opposed abutment faces arranged to engage with complementary faces of the locking head of the locking pin when in the locking position, but to disengage with the complementary abutment faces to permit substantially free longitudinal movement of the locking pin in and out of the locking pin passage when in the non-locking position.

In another aspect, the invention resides broadly in a 25 locking pin including a shank and a locking head, said shank having a longitudinal axis and being of substantially constant non-circular cross-section and said locking head being mounted to said shank for movement relative thereto about a pivot axis extending substantially coaxial with or parallel to said 30 longitudinal axis between a locking position in which the locking head extends laterally beyond the shank portion.

In yet another aspect, the invention resides broadly in a shackle including: cL&HOl 115DescriptionAmd27July2016 4 910 ZMLZ 1883033103 two opposed spaced apart legs defining a mouth, the legs having respective aligned shackle pin passages therein towards their free ends adapted to receive therein a shackle pin; a locking pin passage in at least one of said legs 5 partially intersecting the shackle pin passage formed therein, said locking pin passage having a longitudinal axis and being of substantially constant non-circular cross-section and adapted to slidably receive therein the shank of a locking pin having a shank of complementary cross section; and 0 a cavity in said at least one leg opening to said locking pin passage and forming a detent, said cavity extending laterally beyond the locking pin passage and being defined at least in part by opposed abutment faces joined by an outer face and wherein a least a portion of the outer face is on or beyond 5 an arc centred on the longitudinal axis of said locking pin passage .

Preferably, the locking head of the locking pin includes a locking portion which has a side face or side faces which are substantially aligned and contiguous with the respective side '0 face or side faces of the shank thus maximising the size of the locking portion. It is also preferred that the locking portion have parallel end faces normal to the longitudinal axis, the cavity in the shackle likewise having two opposed faces substantially parallel to one another and spaced apart from one 25 another a distance sufficient to receive a portion of the locking portion.

Preferably, said locking head includes a mounting shaft extending from said locking portion and arranged to be pivotally or rotatably mounted in a complementary bore provided 30 in said shank so as to achieve relative rotation between said locking head and said shank. Preferably, said cL&HOl 115DescriptionAmd27July2016 5 2012202881 27 Jul2016 locking portion is of substantially the same cross section as said shank.

In a preferred form, the non-circular cross-sectional shape of the shank and the locking portion of the pin is 5 somewhat ovoid or lobular and thus similar to the shape of a cam lobe. To put it another way, in such form, it is preferred that the cross sectional shape have a base circle having a base circle centre and a nose circle smaller in diameter than the base circle with the nose circle centre spaced from the centre 0 of the base circle while substantially straight lines intersect the base and nose circles more or less tangentially. In the preferred form, the shank and the locking portion thus include a base portion and a nose portion being that portion previously mentioned as extending laterally beyond the shank of the 5 locking pin to engage with the detent created by the cavity in the shackle.

It will be appreciated that in the preferred form, the cross sectional shape of the locking pin passage is the same as that of the shank of the locking pin and slightly larger in Ό order to allow a sliding fit but prevent undesired relative rotational or pivoting movement between the locking pin and the shackle. It will also be appreciated that in the preferred form, the cavity forming the detent is defined by an arcuate wall portion which extends circumferentially away from the nose 25 circle of the locking pin passage a distance sufficient for the nose portion of the locking portion to occupy that portion of the cavity beyond the extent of the walls of the locking pin passage, whereby the locking function of the locking pin may be effected by pivoting of the locking portion such that the nose 30 portion pivots (or rotates) into the cavity.

It is also preferred that the pin include a second locking head (or locking tail) at the opposite end of the shank from the first locking head to achieve double locking if cL&HOl 115DescriptionAmd27July2016 6 2012202881 17 May 2012 FROM Ahearn Fox 17 05 2012 14:59/ST, 14:55 P010 desired or at least to provide an option for locking at one end or the other. In such form, it is preferred that the head and tail be independently rotatable with respect to the shank although in some embodiments, the two locking heads are keyed 5 together so as to pivot or rotate in unison.

It is also preferred that the or each locking head include tool engagement means adapted for engagement by a tool for pivoting or rotating the locking head relative to the shank. In a preferred form, the engagement means is a hexagon 10 head similar to a hexagon bolt head. Suitably, the shackle preferably includes a detent in each leg for engagement by the respective locking portions of the locking pin.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood and put into practical effect, reference will now 15 be made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention and wherein:

Fig, 1 is a pictorial view of a locking pin with the locking heads in unlocked position ready for installation in a shackle according to the invention; 20 Fig. 2 is a pictorial view of the locking pin of Fig. 1 with the locking heads in the locked position;

Fig. 3 is an exploded view of the locking pin of Fig. 1 with the components in line for assembly;

Fig. 4 is a pictorial view of a shackle assembly with the 25 locking pin of Fig. 1 fitted in the shackle and locking the shackle pin in the closed position;

Fig. 5 is an exploded view of the shackle assembly of Fig. 4 with the shackle pin and locking pin of Fig. 4 in line for assembly; and cL&HOl 115nictll7M;iy20l2 COMS ID No: ARCS-369474 Received by IP Australia: Time (H:m) 15:12 Date (Y-M-d) 2012-05-17 7 2012202881 17 May 2012 FROM Ahearn Fox 17 05 2012 14:59/ST. 14:55 P011

Fig. 6 is a detailed view of part of the shackle of Fig. 4 showing the locking pin passage and the detent.

The locking pin 10 illustrated in the drawings includes an elongate shank 11 with a cross section of the same general 5 form as a cam lobe and having a nose side 12 and a base side 13, the apices of which are substantially aligned with a lobe centreline 14 shown in Fig. 3.

Six apertures are arranged along the apex of the nose side in two lots of three for housing therein components for 10 securing each of the locking heads to shank as will be described in more detail later. There are four plunger apertures '15 arranged in two pairs spaced inward from the ends of the shank, and a pair of roll pin apertures 16, each one being spaced inward from one of the pairs of plunger 15 apertures, the spacing of each aperture being slightly smaller that the diameters thereof. A locking head 20 is mounted to the shank at one end and a locking tail 21 (or second locking head)at the other end, the locking head and locking tail being identical and having 20 the same cam lobe cross section as the shank, and of the same dimensions. In other embodiments, the locking head is larger than the shank while the locking tail is the same size as the shank.

The shank and the two locking heads are of cylindrical 25 form in the sense that the cam lobe cross section extends between substantially parallel end faces. One of the faces of each locking head abuts an end of the shank and for convenience that face will be referred to as the inner face. Correspondingly, the other face will be referred to as the 30 outer face. COMS ID No: ARCS-369474 Received by IP Australia: Time (H:m) 15:12 Date (Y-M-d) 2012-05-17

S 2012202881 17 May 2012 FROM Ahearn Fox 17 05 2012 15:00/ST.14:55 P012

The locking heads 20 and 21 each have hex head 22 and 23 extending from the outer face for engagement by a hexhead spanner or socket and a mounting shaft 24 and 25 extending from the inner face of the head piece and a tail piece shaft 5 25 extends from the inner face as can be seen in Fig. 3,

Each mounting shaft has a series of two axially spaced aligned blind openings 2S in substantial alignment with the intersection of the lobe centre line with the nose of each piece and referred to as plunger receptacles. The plunger 10 receptacles are in substantial alignment with the plunger apertures 15 when the locking pin is assembled and in its installation configuration.

Spaced inward along each shaft from the plunger receptacles is a roll pin slot or recess 27 which extends 15 circumferentially about the shaft through an angle of about 120 degrees, each slot being aligned with the corresponding roll pin aperture. The circumferential extent if the roller pin slot is sufficient to provide for pivoting or rotation of the locking heads with respect to the shank when the locking 20 pin is assembled with the shafts inserted into a shank aperture 28 extending into or through the shank, the axis of the shafts being substantially aligned with the base circle of the cam lobe shape of each piece as well as that of the shank.

Four spring plungers 30 are screwed, one each, into the 25 plunger apertures such that their respective inner ends engage with the plunger receptacles along the shafts of the locking heads to provide a positive location of the locking heads in the installation configuration depicted in Fig. 1. Two roll pins 31 are provided, one for each shaft, and inserted through 30 the roller pin apertures and into the roller pin slot. In other embodiments the circumferential extent of each slot eLAH01llSfilcdl7May2OI2 COMS ID No: ARCS-369474 Received by IP Australia: Time (H:m) 15:12 Date (Y-M-d) 2012-05-17 9 2012202881 27 Μ 2016 limits rotation of the head and tail pieces to an arc of about 90 degrees.

The locking pin may be inserted into a locking pin passage 35 extending through one of the legs 36 of a shackle 37 5 as shown in Figs. 4 and 5 and locks the shackle pin 38 in position by engaging the locking slot 39 as shown in Fig. 4, but once so positioned, the locking pin itself is locked into position by rotation of the locking heads, such that the nose of each locking head extends into the cavity 40 shown in Fig. 6 0 which forms an arcuate outer wall 41 positioned outward from the shank portion of the passage adjacent the end and extending circumferentially through an angle sufficient to permit the head or tail piece to rotate through 120 degrees or 90 degrees as the case may be. It will be appreciated that a detent is 5 provided at both ends of the locking pin passage so that the locking pin is locked at both ends for extra security if desired.

In use, a locking pin according to the invention may be inserted into the locking penetration through one of the legs '0 of a shackle once the shackle pin has been inserted to close the mouth of the shackle, the locking slot of the shackle pin being aligned by providing a cam lobe shape to the head of the shackle pin and a correspondingly shaped passage intersecting the shackle pin passage. The locking pin is inserted when in 25 its installation configuration, the installation being effected by insertion through the locking pin aperture until the head piece reaches the extent of the detent.

Once in position, the locking pin is locked or secured in position by rotating both the head piece and the tail piece so 30 that the nose portions project into the respective cavities 40, the rotation being effected by engaging a spanner, wrench or such like on the head heads in a manner akin to turning a bolt head. In order to remove the locking pin, the head and tail pieces are rotated back to the installation configuration as cL&HOl 115DescriptionArad27July2016 10 2012202881 17 May 2012 FROM Ahearn Fox 17 05 2012 15:00/ST. 14:55 P014 determined by the spring plungers engaging with the plunger receptacles.

It will be appreciated that the above description is of an illustrative example only and that all such modifications 5 and variations thereto as would be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art are deemed to fall within the broad scope and ambit of the invention as defined by the appended claims . cL&HOl 115iilcdl7Miiy20m COMS ID No: ARCS-369474 Received by IP Australia: Time (H:m) 15:12 Date (Y-M-d) 2012-05-17

Claims

THE CLAIMS DEFINING THE INVENTION ARE AS FOLLOWS:

1. A shackle assembly including: a shackle having two opposed spaced apart logs defining a mouth and the legs having respective aligned shackle pin passages therein towards their free ends; a removable shackle pin engaged in said shackle pin passages so as to close said mouth; a locking pin passage in at least one of said legs partially intersecting one of said shackle pin passages and a detent in said at least one leg adjacent said locking pin passage; a locking pin adapted to engage with said shackle pin and at least one of said legs for locking the shackle pin in the closed position, said locking pin including a shank and a locking head, said shank having a longitudinal axis and being of substantially constant non-circular cross-section, and said locking head being mounted to said shank for movement relative thereto about a pivot axis substantially coaxial with or parallel to said longitudinal axis between a locking position in which the locking head extends laterally beyond the shank and can engage said detent in said at least one leg to inhibit longitudinal movement of said locking pin relative to said leg, and a non-locking position in which it does not extend laterally beyond said shank and allows longitudinal movement of said locking pin relative to said shackle,
2. A shackle pin assembly according to Claim 1, wherein said locking pin passage has a shank portion of substantially the same cross sectional shape as the shank of the locking pin and said locking pin passage is adapted to slidably receive therein the shank of the locking pin but prevent relative rotation and relative pivoting there between.
3. A shackle pin assembly according to Claim 2, wherein a cavity extends laterally beyond the shank portion of the passage to form said detent.
4. A shackle pin assembly according to Claim 3, wherein said cavity is at least in part defined by opposed abutment faces arranged to engage with complementary faces of the locking head of said locking pin when in the locking position, but to disengage with the complementary abutment faces to permit substantially free longitudinal movement of the locking pin in and out of the locking pin passage when in the non-locking position.
5. A locking pin adapted to engage with a shackle pin or similar pin for locking such pin in the operative position, the locking pin including a shank and a locking head, said shank having a longitudinal axis and being of substantially constant non-circular cross-section and said locking head being mounted to said shank for movement relative thereto about a pivot axis extending substantially coaxial with or parallel to said longitudinal axis between a locking position in which the locking head extends laterally beyond the shank portion and a non-locking position in which it does not extend laterally beyond said shank so as to allow longitudinal movement of said locking pin relative to a complementary locking pin passage in a shackle and wherein said locking head is of substantially the same cross section as said shank.
6. A locking pin according to Claim 5, wherein said locking head includes a locking portion having a side face or side faces which are substantially aligned and contiguous with the respective side face or side faces of the shank.
7. A locking pin according to Claim 6, wherein said locking portion has parallel end faces normal to the longitudinal axis.
8. A locking pin according to claim 6 or claim 7, wherein said locking head includes a mounting shaft extending from said locking portion and arranged to be pivotally or rotatably mounted in a complementary bore provided in said shank so as to achieve relative rotation between said locking head and said shank.
9. A locking pin according to any one of Claims 6 to 8, wherein the cross-sectional shape of the shank and the locking portion is ovoid or lobular.
10. A locking pin according to any one of Claims 6 to 9, wherein said locking head is a first locking head and the locking pin includes a second locking head at the opposite end of the shank from the first locking head.
11. A locking pin according to Claim 10, wherein said first and second locking heads are independently rotatable with respect to the shank.
12. A locking pin according to claim 10 or claim 11 wherein said first and second heads are both ovoid or lobular.
13. A locking pin according to any one of claims 10 to 12 wherein said first and second locking heads are substantially identical.
14. A locking pin according to any one of Claims 6 to 13, wherein the or each locking head includes tool engagement means adapted for engagement by a tool for pivoting or rotating the locking head relative to the shank.
15. A locking pin according to Claim 14, wherein the engagement means is a hexagon head similar to a hexagon bolt head.
16. A shackle including: two opposed spaced apart legs defining a mouth, the legs having respective aligned shackle pin passages therein towards their free ends adapted to receive therein a shackle pin; a locking pin passage in at least one of said legs partially intersecting the shackle pin passage formed therein, said locking pin passage having a longitudinal axis and being of substantially constant non-circular cross-section and adapted to slidably receive therein the shank of a locking pin having a shank of complementary cross section; and a cavity in said at least one leg opening to said locking pin passage and forming a detent, said cavity extending laterally beyond the locking pin passage and being defined at least in part by opposed abutment faces joined by an outer face and wherein at least a portion of the outer face is on or beyond an axis centred on the longitudinal axis of said locking pin passage, said cavity being adapted to receive a portion of the locking head of a locking pin according to any one of claims 5 to 10 .
17. A shackle according to claim 16 wherein said cavity is adjacent one end of said locking pin passage.
18. A shackle according to claim 17 including a cavity adjacent each end.