AU2016101848A4 - Wear Assembly and Method of forming a Wear Assembly - Google Patents

Abstract

-11 Abstract There is disclosed a wear assembly (10) for coupling to an external structure with a fastener (13) in a fitted condition, the wear assembly (10) including: a wear layer (14) including a cast wear resistant material; a backing layer (16) including a metal material; and an intermediate layer (18) including rubber that is vulcanised between the wear and backing layers (14, 16), wherein each of the wear layer (14), the backing layer (16) and the intermediate layer (18) include corresponding one or more fastener apertures (30, 32, 34) arranged to allow the fastener (13) to be passed there through to secure the wear assembly (10) to the external structure in the fitted condition. A method of forming a wear assembly (10) is also disclosed. Figure 1 - 38 Figure 6 Figure 7

Description

2016101848 21 Oct 2016 -1-

Wear Assembly and Method of forming a Wear Assembly Technical Field [001] The invention relates to a wear assembly such as a screen or tile wear part, and a method of forming such a wear assembly to provide such a screen or tile wear part.

Background [002] Wear parts or units are used in a wide variety of applications such as being utilised as liners of chutes for materials handling in mining. Various types of abrasion or wear resistant materials have been proposed for use in wear parts. One such abrasive resistant material is white cast iron.

[003] A problem with using white cast iron is that this material is brittle and relatively expensive. Accordingly, layered materials have been developed in which the white cast iron is used as an outer layer only. CA 01112597 discloses an abrasive resistant unit comprising: an outer cast iron wear resistant plate; a mild steel backing plate. The cast iron wear plate and mild steel backing plate are vulcanised together using rubber. The mild steel backing plate is disclosed as being mounted to an external structure by welding, bolting, riveting or studs.

[004] A problem with this layered arrangement is that it may be difficult to install and remove the unit or plate. Moreover, this layered arrangement plate relies solely on the rubber to bond the mild steel backing and the white cast iron together. Accordingly, the white cast iron layer may become dislodged.

[005] The invention disclosed herein seeks to overcome one or more of the above identified problems or at least provide a useful alternative. -2- 2016101848 21 Oct 2016

Summary [006] In accordance with a first broad aspect there is provided, a wear assembly for coupling to an external structure with a fastener in a fitted condition, the wear assembly including: a wear layer including a cast wear resistant material; a backing layer including a metal material; and an intermediate layer including rubber that is vulcanised between the wear and backing layers, wherein each of the wear layer, the backing layer and the intermediate layer include corresponding one or more fastener apertures arranged to allow the fastener to be passed there through to secure the wear assembly to the external structure in the fitted condition.

[007] In an aspect, the assembly includes at least one spacer between the wear layer and the backing layer.

[008] In another aspect, the assembly includes one or more spacers or washers fitted between the wear layer and the backing layer so as to skirt each of the one or more apertures in the fitted condition with the one or more fasteners passing there through.

[009] In yet another aspect, the one or more apertures of the wear layer include a recessed surface arranged to allow the fastener to bear on the recessed surface and draw the wear layer toward the external structure in the fitted condition.

[0010] In yet another aspect, each of wear layer, backing layer and intermediate layer include corresponding one or more holes arranged such that the wear assembly provides a screen.

[0011] In accordance with a second broad aspect there is provided, a method of forming a wear assembly securable to an external structure with a fastener in a fitted condition, the method including the steps of: Providing a wear layer including cast wear resistant material having one or more fastener apertures there through; Providing a backing layer including a metal material having one or more fastener apertures there through; Providing at least one spacer between the wear layer and the backing layer; and, Sandwiching an intermediate rubber layer between the wear layer and the -3- 2016101848 21 Oct 2016 backing layer by hot vulcanising the sandwiched parts together with the fastener apertures of the wear layer and the backing layer being aligned with one another so as to allow the fastener to be passed therethrough in the fitted condition with the spacer being captured between the wear layer and the backing layer so as to define a minimum thickness of the intermediate rubber layer.

Brief Description of the Figures [0012] The invention is described, by way of non-limiting example only, by reference to the accompanying figures, in which; [0013] Figure 1 is a perspective exploded parts front side view illustrating a wear assembly in the form of a screen; [0014] Figure 2 is a perspective exploded parts backside view illustrating the wear assembly in the form of the screen; [0015] Figure 3 is a perspective backside view illustrating the wear assembly in the form of the screen; [0016] Figure 4 is a side view illustrating the wear assembly in the form of the screen; [0017] Figure 5 is a back view illustrating the wear assembly in the form of the screen; [0018] Figure 6 is a hidden detail view illustrating a recessed surface of fastener aperture of a wear layer of the wear assembly; [0019] Figure 7 is a perspective view illustrating a fastener for securing the wear assembly to a structure; [0020] Figure 8 is a perspective front side view illustrating the wear assembly in the form of a tile; and -4- 2016101848 21 Oct 2016 [0021] Figure 9 is a perspective exploded parts front side view illustrating the wear assembly in the form of the tile.

Detailed Description [0022] Referring to Figures 1 to 7 there is shown an example of a wear assembly or wear part 10 in the form of a screen 12 for coupling to an external structure (not shown) with a fastener 13 (shown in Figure 7) in a fitted condition. The external structure may be a frame or sidewall of a chute or the like and the fastener 13 is preferably in the form of a bolt 15 dimensioned to pass through the wear assembly 10 and into the external structure.

[0023] The wear assembly 10, provided here in the form of the screen 12, may include three layers including a first outer wear layer 14, a second backing layer 16 and a third intermediate bonding layer 18. The first outer layer 14 is preferably formed from a highly abrasive resistant material and is provided in this example as a cast high chromium iron layer 20.

[0024] The second backing layer 16 is provided in the form of a mild steel backing layer 22 and the third intermediate bonding layer 18 is provided in this example in the form of a rubber insert layer 24 vulcanised between the cast high chromium iron layer 20 and the mild steel backing layer 22. The rubber insert 24 layer may be a natural rubber.

[0025] In more detail, in this example, each of the cast high chromium iron layer 20, the rubber insert layer 24 and the mild steel backing layer 22 include corresponding respective fastener apertures 30, 32, 34 arranged to allow the fastener 13, more specially a shank 19 of the fastener 13, to be passed therethrough to secure the screen 12 to the external structure.

[0026] As best shown in Figure 6, the fastener apertures 30 of the cast high chromium iron layer 20 include a tapered or angled recessed surfaces 36 to receive and engage with corresponding tapered surfaces of a head 17 of the fastener 13, as shown in Figure 7. The recessed surfaces 36 enables the fasteners 13 to be flush or recessed -5- 2016101848 21 Oct 2016 relative to an outer surface 38 of the cast high chromium iron layer 20, and in particular, the recessed surfaces 36 allow the fastener 13 to bear thereon and apply a compressive force to the screen 12 thereby assisting to keep the sandwich together.

[0027] The wear assembly 10, provided here in the form of the screen 12, also includes spaces 40 that are fitted between the cast high chromium iron layer 20 and the mild steel backing layer 22. The purpose of the spacers 40 is to maintain a minimum spacing between the cast high chromium iron layer 20 and the mild steel backing layer 22 to inhibit over compression the rubber insert layer 24. In this example, the spacers 40 are provided in the form of metal washers or doughnut shaped parts 42 concentrically fitted and welded to the fastener apertures 34 of the mild steel backing layer 22. It is noted that the fastener apertures 32 of the rubber insert 24 layer are dimensioned to receive the metal washers 42 to allow the metal washers to abut directly with an inside face 44 of the cast high chromium iron layer 20 in the fitted condition.

[0028] In this example, each of the cast high chromium iron layer 20, the rubber insert layer 24 and the mild steel backing layer 22 include corresponding respective screen holes 50, 52, 54 arranged to align with one another in the fitted condition. The screen holes 50, 52, 54 may be elongate in shape and have rounded ends. It is noted that in some examples the cast high chromium iron layer 20 and the mild steel backing layer 22 may be curved in shape.

[0029] Referring now to Figures 8 and 9, there is shown a second example of the wear assembly 110 in which like sequences of numerals indicate like parts (i.e 10, 110). In this example, the wear assembly 110 is provided in the form of a wear tile 112 that is configured and formed substantially the same as the screen 12. Accordingly, all parts are not again described here.

[0030] However, in this example, the wear tile 112 includes a multi-part wear outer layer 114 that is provided in the form of fragmented sections 121 that are set in a spaced apart arrangement with the third bonding layer 118 extending or fitted between the fragmented sections 121 and between the multi-part wear outer layer 114 and the second backing layer 116. -6- 2016101848 21 Oct 2016 [0031] The fragmented sections 121 are arranged so that joints or seams 123 in at least one direction (indicated by arrow “D”) are misaligned and/or angled relative to one another. This assist to minimise wear “runs” in a particular direction. Each of the fragmented sections 121 may be a trapezoid arranged to fit together to form a square or rectangle.

[0032] The pre-fragment nature of the multi-part wear outer layer 114 assist to minimise breakage of the wear layer 114, especially when formed from the cast high chromium iron material that may be brittle and prone to fragmentation. The rubber layer 124 between the fragmented sections 121 assists to damp movement and/or impact between the fragmented sections 121.

[0033] It is noted that in this example only two of the fragmented sections 121 include the fastener apertures 130. These apertures 130 include the tapered or angled recessed surfaces 136 to receive and engage with corresponding tapered surfaces 25 of the head 17 of the fastener 13, as shown in Figure 7. Due to the smaller size of the tile 112, the tension of the fastener 13 may be less and the spacers 40 may not be required. Nevertheless, the fasteners 13 assist to secure the tile 112 to an external structure in a similar manner as the first example of the screen 12 described above and below.

[0034] Turning now to a method of forming the wear assembly 10. The method below relates to the example in the form of the screen 12. However, a similar method may be utilised to form the other wear assemblies, wear plates and wear parts such as wear tiles 110, although the forming of the wear tiles 110 may omit the spacers 40.

[0035] The method of forming the wear assembly 10, in this example the screen 12, includes providing the cast high chromium cast iron wear part layer 20 and the mild steel-backing layer 22. The cast high chromium cast iron wear part layer 20 is formed by a casting process with the fastener apertures 30 having the recessed surfaces 36 and the elongate holes 50 therein. The cast high chromium cast iron wear part layer 20 may be formed to be curved. -7- 2016101848 21 Oct 2016 [0036] The mild steel-backing layer 22 may be formed by cutting to size and machining the apertures 34 and the elongate holes 54 therein. The spacers 40 in the form of metal washers 42 may be welded to the mild steel-backing layer 22 about the apertures 34.

[0037] The method then includes fitting or sandwiching the intermediate rubber layer 24 between the cast high chromium cast iron-wear part layer 20 and the mild steelbacking layer 22. The respective apertures 30, 32, 34 and the holes 50, 52, 54 are aligned with one another. The sandwich is then hot vulcanised using a heating process or the like to melt the rubber layer 24 and bond the cast high chromium cast iron-wear part layer 20 and the mild steel-backing layer 22 together.

[0038] It is noted that the respective apertures and holes 32, 52 of the intermediate rubber layer 24 may be pre-formed or pre-cut or may be post-cut after the vulcanisation. However, preferably, the apertures 32 are pre-cut to allow the spacers 40 to be received thereby and the spacers 40 may bear directly against the cast high chromium cast iron-wear part layer 20 to assist with spacing and alignment prior to vulcanisation. The wear assembly 10 is then allowed to cool and then formed a unitary structure. It is noted, in the example, of the wear tile 112 the rubber layer 124 may be provided a strips or sections that are cut to size and placed into the seams 123 and between the wear layer 114 and the backing layer 116. The rubber layer 124 is then vulcanised to bond the strips and sections together, and the respective apertures 132 of the rubber layer 124 of the wear tile 112 are may post cut.

[0039] In use, the wear assembly 10 is secured to the external structure with the fasteners 13 preferably the bolts 15. In particular, it is again noted that the recessed surfaces 36 of the apertures 32 allow the head 17 of the fastener 13 to bear thereon and apply a compressive force to the screen 12 thereby assisting to keep the sandwich together. Upon the tightening of the fastener 13, the spacer 40 functions to inhibit over-compression of the rubber layer 24.

[0040] Advantageously, the wear assembly disclosed herein allows the bonding of a high wear resistant wear layer, that may be brittle, to a metal backing via a 2016101848 21 Oct 2016 -8- intermediate rubber layer and fastening bolts that compress and further secure the assembly together and to the external structure. The spacers assist to maintain a thickness of the rubber layer, to retain its damping characteristics, whilst allowing the bolts to exert a compressive force on the wear layer to retain it to the external structure. The fastening bolts allow ease of installation and removal of the wear assembly.

[0041] Throughout this specification and the claims which follow, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise", and variations such as "comprises" and "comprising", will 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.

[0042] The reference in this specification to any known matter or any prior publication is not, and should not be taken to be, an acknowledgment or admission or suggestion that the known matter or prior art publication forms part of the common general knowledge in the field to which this specification relates.

[0043] While specific examples of the invention have been described, it will be understood that the invention extends to alternative combinations of the features disclosed or evident from the disclosure provided herein.

[0044] Many and various modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention disclosed or evident from the disclosure provided herein.

Claims (5)

1. The claims defining the Invention are as follows: 1 A wear assembly for coupling to an external structure with a fastener in a fitted condition, the wear assembly including: a wear layer including a cast wear resistant material; a backing layer including a metal material; and an intermediate layer including rubber that is vulcanised between the wear and backing layers, wherein each of the wear layer, the backing layer and the intermediate layer include corresponding one or more fastener apertures arranged to allow the fastener to be passed there through to secure the wear assembly to the external structure in the fitted condition.
2. 2. The wear assembly according to claim 1, wherein the assembly includes at least one spacer between the wear layer and the backing layer.

   2. The wear assembly according to claim 1, wherein the assembly includes one or more spacers washers fitted between the wear layer and the backing layer so as to skirt each of the one or more apertures in the fitted condition with the one or more fasteners passing there through.
3. 3. The wear assembly according to claim 1, wherein the one or more apertures of the wear layer include a recessed surface arranged to allow the fastener to bear on the recessed surface and draw the wear layer toward the external structure in the fitted condition.
4. 4. The wear assembly according to claim 1, wherein each of the wear layer, backing layer and intermediate layer include corresponding one or more holes arranged such that the wear assembly provides a screen.
5. 5. A method of forming a wear assembly securable to an external structure with a fastener in a fitted condition, the method including the steps of: Providing a wear layer including a cast wear resistant material having one or more fastener apertures there through; Providing a backing layer including a metal material having one or more fastener apertures there through; Providing at least one spacer between the wear layer and the backing layer; and Sandwiching an intermediate rubber layer between the wear layer and the backing layer by hot vulcanising the sandwiched parts together with the fastener apertures of the wear layer and the backing layer being aligned with one another so as to allow the fastener to be passed therethrough in the fitted condition with the spacer being captured between the wear layer and the backing layer so as to define a minimum thickness of the intermediate rubber layer.