AU2017100151A4 - Hinged mudguard - Google Patents

Abstract

Abstract A hinged mudguard for an underground loader includes two spaced hinges along a common axis. 38-- 7~54 /4 Fig. 3 34- 62 Fig. 4 36 - - 38 lk70

Description

2017100151 08 Feb 2017

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION

Invention title: “HINGED MUDGUARD”

Applicant:

BEND-TECH INVESTMENTS 1 PTY LTD

The following statement is a full description of the invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: 2017100151 08 Feb 2017 2 “HINGED MUDGUARD”

Field of the Invention [0001] The present invention relates to mudguards used in mining equipment, such as in underground loaders or'boggers’.

Background to the Invention [0002] Mining equipment is often used in particularly harsh environments, such as in underground environments which may be particularly dirty and hot workspaces. It is frequently desirable to perform maintenance on equipment without the need to return it to a workshop; for instance, there are many maintenance tasks performed on boggers while underground.

[0003] Often, these tasks involve access to a wheel of the bogger, for instance in order to change or repair a tyre.

[0004] Traditionally, in order to access behind a wheel of the bogger the first task has been to remove a mudguard covering a portion of the wheel. Mudguards are typically fixed to a bogger using two connection plates, each of which has four bolts. Removal of the mudguard is achieved by removal of the eight bolts.

[0005] It will be appreciated that a mudguard is a moderately heavy and unwieldly item. In an underground environment, it will generally require a lifting machine as well as two workers to remove. When the mudguard is to be reattached it may again require a machine and two workers to lift it into an approximate position, and there may be some difficulty in aligning the connection plates of the mudguard with mating holes on the bogger.

[0006] The applicant of the present invention has recently been experimenting with using hinged mudguards, in which one of the connection plates incorporates a hinge. When access behind a wheel is required, the bolts holding the other connection plate can be removed, and the mudguard 3 2017100151 08 Feb 2017 merely swung out of the way of the wheel. When it requires reattachment, it can be readily swung back to the required position.

[0007] Australian Innovation patent number 2016102030, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference, describes a hinged mudguard which seeks to be more useful than those previously available.

[0008] This mudguard, along with other mudguards known in the prior art, still has some drawbacks. One drawback in particular is a propensity for the weight of the mudguard to act on the hinge pin, causing misalignment of the mudguard with the bolting holes upon reattachment.

[0009] The present invention seeks to provide a further useful hinged mudguard in light of these concerns.

Summary of the Invention [0010] According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a mudguard having a first connection portion and a second connection portion, the first connection portion being operatively attached to a first hinge, and the second connection portion being operatively attached to a second hinge.

[0011] Preferably the first and second hinges are aligned along a common hinge axis.

[0012] It is preferred that the first connection portion and the second connection portion each extend in a direction generally parallel to the hinge axis. The first connection may extend at least twice the extent of the second connection portion.

[0013] It is preferred that each hinge is in fluid communication with a lubricant introducing means. Advantageously, this allows the supply of lubricant directly into the hinge, which enables dust and dirt to be forced out of the hinge, and prolongs its working life.

[0014] Preferably, the lubricant introducing means is a grease nipple. 2017100151 08 Feb 2017 4 [0015] It is preferred that the first connection portion and the second connection portion each includes a first fixing portion and a second fixing portion, the first and second fixing portions each being arranged to be fixed to a vehicle, each second fixing portion being arranged to rotate relative to its respective first fixing portion about the hinge axis.

[0016] The second fixing portion of the first connection portion may be at least twice the length of the second fixing portion of the second connection portion.

[0017] The hinges may be formed with the use of bushes such as bronze bushes located about a hinge pin. Advantageously, this allows for reduced friction and wear on the pin, and the option to repair a worn hinge by replacement of the bush only.

[0018] The mudguard may be a mudguard for an underground loader.

Brief Description of the Drawings [0019] It will be convenient to further describe the invention with reference to preferred embodiments of the present invention. Other embodiments are possible, and consequently the particularity of the following discussion is not to be understood as superseding the generality of the preceding description of the invention. In the drawings: [0020] Figure 1 is an underground loader of the prior art.

[0021] Figure 2 is a mudguard of the prior art, similar to those within the underground loader of Figure 1; [0022] Figure 3 is a mudguard in accordance with the present invention; shown in a first position; and [0023] Figure 4 is a perspective of the mudguard of Figure 3, shown in a second position. 2017100151 08 Feb 2017 5

Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments [0024] Referring to the Figures, Figure 1 shows an underground loader or bogger 10, having two front wheels 12 and two rear wheels 14. Each of the front wheels 12 has an associated mudguard 16, which can be seen in Figure 2.

[0025] The mudguard 16 of Figure 2 has a flap portion 18 which is arranged to locate around a portion of the circumference of the wheel 12; a first connection plate 20 which is generally perpendicular to the flap portion 18, and a second connection plate 22 which is generally co-planar with the first connection plate 20. The first and second connection plates 20, 22 are arranged to bolt to a body portion 24 of the bogger 10. Each of the connection plates 20, 22 has four bolts 26 for this purpose.

[0026] Figure 3 shows an alternative mudguard 30. The mudguard 30 has a flap portion 32 similar to the flap portion 18, a first connection portion 34, and a second connection portion 36.

[0027] The first connection portion 34 has a first fixing portion 40 and a second fixing portion 42. Each of the first fixing portion 40 and the second fixing portion 42 have two bolt holes 38 used for bolting the first connection portion 34 to the body portion 24.

[0028] The second fixing portion 42 is rigidly connected to a flap holding portion 46, which is in turn rigidly connected to the flap portion 32. The first fixing portion 40 is rigidly connected to a hinge holding portion 48, which extends away from the first fixing portion 40.

[0029] The first fixing portion 40 and the second fixing portion 42 are connected by a first hinge 50. The first hinge 50 is arranged to be generally parallel to the first fixing portion 40, and to be perpendicular to an axle of the wheels 12. The first hinge 50 is located at an outer end of the hinge holding portion 48, and is mounted to the flap holding portion 46 such that the flap 2017100151 08 Feb 2017 6 holding portion 46 is able to rotate about the first hinge 50 relative to the hinge holding portion 48.

[0030] The flap holding portion 46 extends away from the first hinge 50 in a direction generally perpendicular to an operating axis of the first hinge 50.

[0031] The second connection portion 36 has a first fixing portion 60 and a second fixing portion 62. Each of the first fixing portion 60 and the second fixing portion 62 have two bolt holes 38 used for bolting the first connection portion 64 to the body portion 24.

[0032] The second fixing portion 62 is rigidly connected to a flap holding portion 66, which is in turn rigidly connected to the flap portion 32. The first fixing portion 60 is rigidly connected to a hinge holding portion 68, which extends away from the first fixing portion 60.

[0033] The first fixing portion 60 and the second fixing portion 62 are connected by a second hinge 70. The second hinge 70 is arranged to be generally parallel to the first fixing portion 60, and to be perpendicular to an axle of the wheels 12. The second hinge 70 is located at an outer end of the hinge holding portion 68, and is mounted to the flap holding portion 66 such that the flap holding portion 66 is able to rotate about the second hinge 70 relative to the hinge holding portion 78.

[0034] The flap holding portion 66 extends away from the second hinge 70 in a direction generally perpendicular to an operating axis of the second hinge 70.

[0035] The first hinge 50 and the second hinge 70 are arranged to lie along a common hinge axis, and are spaced apart along this axis.

[0036] The flap holding portion 46 (and thus the second fixing portion 42) of the first connection portion 24 is significantly longer than the flap holding portion 66 (and thus the second fixing portion 62) of the second connection 2017100151 08 Feb 2017 7 portion 36. In order to accommodate the second hinge 70 in a relatively tight location, it is envisaged that the bolt spacings associated with the second connection portion 36 will be significantly narrower than those of the first connection portion 34. For instance, the gap between bolt holes 38 of the first fixing portion 40 and those of the second fixing portion 42 of the first connection portion 34 may be 140mm. The equivalent gap between bolt holes 38 of the first fixing portion 60 and those of the second fixing portion 62 of the second connection portion 36 may be only 65mm.

[0037] The arrangement is such that the flap holding portions 46, 66 may be rotated between the first position shown in Figure 3, in which the first fixing portions 40, 60 and their respective second fixing portions 42, 62 are generally coplanar; and the second position shown in Figure 4, in which the first fixing portions 40, 60 and their respective second fixing portions 42, 62 are generally perpendicular to each other.

[0038] When the flap holding portions 46, 66 and thus the flap portion 32 are in the first position, it will be appreciated that the first fixing portions 40, 60 and the second fixing portions 42, 62 are all coplanar, and can all be fixed to the body portion 24 by the application of bolts 26. The mudguard 30 is thus fixed in position identical to that of the mudguard 16, and operates in exactly the same manner.

[0039] When access to a wheel 12 is required, four of the bolts 26 can be removed: the two bolts 26 associated with the second fixing portion 42 of the first connection portion 34 and the two bolts 26 associated with the second fixing portion 62 of the second connection portion 36. The first fixing portions 40, 60 can remain bolted in position. The flap portion 32 can then be rotated away from the wheel 12 into the second position as shown in Figure 4.

[0040] When access to the wheel 12 is no longer required, the flap portion 32 can be simply rotated back to the first position. It will be appreciated that the bolt holes 38 will align with associated bolt holes within the body portion 24, making reinsertion of the bolts 26 a relatively easy task. The use of two 2017100151 08 Feb 2017 8 hinges 50, 70 makes misalignment of the bolt holes significantly less likely than has previously been the case.

[0041] Each hinge 50, 70 has an outer body portion 52 and an inner pin 54. Two grease nipples 56 are mounted on the outer body portion 52. It is envisaged that lubricant can be regularly supplied through the grease nipples 56 into a bearing area between the outer body portion 52 and the inner pin 54. Any particulate matter which has become lodged within this bearing area will be displaced by the application of lubricant. In this way, the hinge will continue to be functional for long periods.

[0042] Each hinge 50, 70 has a bronze bush (not shown) located between the outer body potion 52 and the inner pin 54. The bronze bush acts to reduce friction between the pin 54 and the outer body portion 52. It will be appreciated that the use of a bronze bush also acts to provide a relatively cheap and straightforward maintenance option; that is, the replacement of a bush while leaving the body portion 52 in place.

[0043] Modifications and variations as would be apparent to a skilled addressee are deemed to be within the scope of the present invention.

Claims (5)

1. Claims

   1. A mudguard having a first connection portion and a second connection portion, the first connection portion being operatively attached to a first hinge, and the second connection portion being operatively attached to a second hinge.
2. 2. A mudguard as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first and second hinges are aligned along a common hinge axis.
3. 3. A mudguard as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein each hinge is in fluid communication with a lubricant introducing means.
4. 4. A mudguard as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the hinges are formed with the use of a bush located about a hinge pin.
5. 5. A mudguard as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the mudguard is a mudguard for an underground loader.