AU653534B2 - A conveyor belt cleaner blade - Google Patents

Description

3534 S F Ref: 185350

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT 9 *0S* 9*

ORIGINAL

Name and Address of Applicant:

S

0

S

ESS Engineering Services Supplies Lot 6, Traders Way Currumbin Queensland 4223

AUSTRALIA

Pty Limited Actual Inventor(s): Address for Service: Invention Title: Robert La' Spruson Ferguson, Patent Attorneys Level 33 St Martins Tower, 31 Market Street Sydney, New South Wales, 2000, Australia A Conveyor Belt Cleaner Blade ASSOCIATED PRO$VISIONAL APPLICATION DETAILS [31] Application No(s) [33] Country [32] Application Date PK1062 AU 6 July 1990 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us:- 5815/3 2 TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to wear components and more particularly but not exclusively to wear components of machinery employed in mines.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION All products which are used in underground should have MDA numbers, which are issued by the Mines Department. These approval numbers are only granted after the product has received the appropriate certification as to its level of fire resistance and electrical conductivity.

Urethane was first introduced to the underground mines 10 or so years ago. The nature of urethane makes it an ideal product for underground use due to its corrosive resistance and ability to be easily 'moulded into any shape.

Over the last two years or so the Mines Department began to insist 15 on urethanes obtaining MDA approval numbers for underground use.

Urethanes when used as designed, without additives, do not have any conductivity and are not fire resistant. This is of course not satisfactory for underground use.

To achieve the conductivity required to pass the statutory requirements for underground use, several additives have been used in the past. The two most common are: S• a. Carbon black b. Cyastat (Reccs^.c~ c-<^Ya~exT- o. Ccr\omvs< e>uct L Although when these additives are used the required level of 25 conductivity and fire resistance is achieved, the qualities of the urethane which are required in cleaning elements diminishes, i.e. the hardness and the modulus strength.

There is no doubt that to manufacture a urethane which will pass the required test is easy, however, this urethane will not be suitable for belt cleaning elements due to its reduced hardness and elasticity, i.e. modulus strength.

Urethanes with these additives can be used successfully in some applications such as seats for mine cars, protection covers, etc.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION It is the object of the present invention to overcome or substantially ameliorate at ,east one of the above disadvantages.

L CH/STA/0459t IWT v -3- SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION There is disclosed herein a mining machine wear component, said component being formed of polyurethane within which there is dispersed chopped carbon fibre.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Preferably the above component is a conveyor belt cleaner blade or a conveyor roller coating, with a suitable polyurethane being a toluene diisocyanate isomer, and the carbon fibres have a diameter of about 8 microns and a length of 1/32 inch to 1/2 inch. The most preferable length is about 1/32 inch.

In forming the belt cleaner blades or roller coatings, the carbon fibres are mixed with the urethane to ensure that each of the fibres is coated. This ensures good bonding between the fibres and the urethane.

By adding carbon fibres to the urethane the mechanical properties of the product are improved to make it suitable for use in high wear areas such as conveyor belt cleaners and roller coatings. It is therefore also applicable to the linings of pumps and chutes. The fibres also enhance the conductivity of the product.

Together with the above advantages, there is the unexpected advantage of the fire retarding characteristics also being enhanced.

Normally in a mining environment where a component is formed of urethane and carbon is added to enhance the electrical conductivity, it is detrimental in respect of the mechanical properties of the product.

In forming roller coatings and conveyor belt cleaner blades, it is 25 preferred that the product have 7.5 percent (by volume) of carbon fibre.

A mining machine wear component is a component which is regularly and frequently replaced due to wear. Examples of such items are cleaner blades and roller coatings.

Ht/tSTA/0459t

L

Claims (7)

1. A mining machine wear component, said component being formed of polyurethane within which there is dispersed chopped carbon fibre.

2. The wear component of claim 1, wherein said carbon fibre has a diameter of about 8 microns and a length of 1/32 inch to 1/2 inch.

3. The wear component of claim 2, wherein the carbon fibres have a length of about I/ 32 inch.

4. The wear component of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein said component is a belt cleaner blade.

5. The wear component of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein said wear component is a roller coating.

6. The wear component of claim 4 or 5, wherein the component includes approximately 7.5 percent (by volume) of the component.

7. A wear component, according to any previous claim, 15 substantially as hereinbefore described. DATED this TWENTY-FOURTH day of JANUARY 1994 ESS Engineering Services Supplies Pty Limited Patent Attorneys for the Applicant S. SPRUSON FERGUSON I/STA/0459t ABSTRACT A wear resistant component for a piece of mining machinery. The component may be a conveyor belt cleaner blade or a coating for a roller. The component is formed of urethane within which there is dispersed carbon fibre having a diameter of approximately 8 microns and a length of about 1/32 inch. The carbon fibres are mixed with the urethane to ensure that each of the fibres is coated. This ensures good bonding between the fibers and the urethane. OS 4 9 I JLH/STA/0459t