AU741560B2

AU741560B2 - Wear protection device

Info

Publication number: AU741560B2
Application number: AU28094/99A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Donald John Ferreira Rodrigues
Original assignee: Wundowie Foundry Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Bradken Operations Pty Ltd
Priority date: 1998-05-11
Filing date: 1999-05-11
Publication date: 2001-12-06
Anticipated expiration: 2019-05-11
Also published as: AU2809499A

Description

P/00/011 28/5/91 Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990

ORIGINAL

COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT ,o* oo• o 00 0o o o* Name of Applicant: Actual Inventor Address for service is: WUNDOWIE FOUNDRY PTY LTD DONALD JOHN FERREIRA RODRIGUES WRAY ASSOCIATES 239 Adelaide Terrace Perth, WA 6000 Attorney code: WR Invention Title: 'Wear Protection Device" Details of Associated Provisional Application No(s): PP3463 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me:- -2-

TITLE

WEAR PROTECTION DEVICE FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to protection of a surface against wear from exposure to material impacting against that surface.

The invention has been devised particularly, although not necessarily solely, for protecting a wall of a chute, transfer unit or surge bin into which bulk material such as ore or crushed rock is discharged.

BACKGROUND ART In handling operations for bulk materials (such as iron ore), it is common for the bulk materials to be discharged into a chute or transfer unit from a belt conveyor.

The discharge trajectory of the bulk materials from the conveyor may carry some ~of the bulk materials into contact with a wall of the chute opposite the discharge end of the belt conveyor. The impact of the bulk materials onto the wall can expose the wall to wear and other damage.

.With a view to protecting the wall against damage from the impacting bulk materials, it is common to install wear protection devices (known as microledges) onto the wall. The microledges are positioned at spaced intervals on the wall and each cooperates with the wall to provide a catchment zone (commonly known as 20 a rock box) in which bulk material can collect and form a shield which affords protection to the wall. Typically, such a microledge comprises a block of wear resistant material braised onto a mild steel backing plate which is welded onto a support bracket which in turn is welded onto the chute wall. The block of wear resistant material, in combination with the support bracket and the adjacent portion of the wall, defines the catchment zone within which material can collect.

With this arrangement, the wear block is exposed to the oncoming bulk materials -3and so also serves to shield a portion of the wall. The wear block is itself also subjected to wear and so requires replacement from time to time.

Replacement of worn wear blocks can be a time-consuming and, in some cases, a dangerous procedure. Replacement of the wear block requires a welder to cut existing welds between the wear block and the support bracket, prepare the support bracket to receive a replacement wear block and then weld the replacement wear block into position. This of course, assumes that the welding and cutting operation carried out as part of the replacement procedure does not adversely affect the support bracket or the wall of the chute. Furthermore, if, the support bracket or the wall of the chute has been damaged, further remedial operations may also be required.

The danger in the procedure arises from the fact that welding equipment is required within the vicinity of the location at which the replacement procedure is to be performed. This introduces fire and fume hazards in the immediate 15 environment, as well as creating elevated temperatures which can be hazardous within that environment.

It would be advantageous to provide a wear protection device which can be simply and easily installed onto a surface which requires protection against wear.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 20 The present invention provides a wear protection device comprising a body having a mounting portion adapted to be fastened onto a wall surface by way of a removable fastening device, said mounting portion defining a contact plane adapted to engage against said wall surface, and a catchment portion formed integrally with the mounting portion, the catchment portion extending away from said contact plane whereby in use a catchment zone is defined between said catchment portion and an adjacent portion of the wall surface.

-4- When the wear protection device is mounted onto the wall surface as described, material can collect in the catchment zone between the catchment portion and the wall surface, thereby creating a shield for the region of the wall surface covered by material collected in the catchment zone.

The body is preferably formed of a casting. Conveniently, the body is formed of a casting of abrasion-resistant white iron such as NiHard 4 Preferably, the catchment portion presents an uppermost lip. While this uppermost lip is exposed to wear, the actual cross-sectional area thereof which is exposed to wear is small in comparison to the prior art arrangement described hereinbefore.

Preferably, the body includes an integral reinforcing rib extending between the mounting and catchment portions. The reinforcement rib is provided for -the purpose of strengthening the body to increase its resistance to damage from impact.

15 Typically, the mounting portion is adapted to be fastened to the wall surface by a removable fastening device in the form of a mounting bolt. The mounting portion may be provided with a mounting aperture for receiving the mounting bolt. The mounting portion may include a raised region which is associated with the mounting aperture and adjacent which the head of the mounting bolt is received.

The raised region may comprise two raised sections spaced apart to define a gap therebetween in which the head of the bolt is received. The raised region may act as a stop against which the head of the mounting bolt can locate to prevent rotation of the bolt during screwing of a nut onto, or unscrewing the nut from, the threaded shank of the bolt. Furthermore, the raised region may provide shielding for the head of the bolt to provide at least some protection against impacting material.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will be better understood by reference to the following description of several specific embodiments thereof as shown in the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a schematic side view showing several wear protection devices according to a first embodiment fastened onto a wall of a chute into which bulk material is discharging from a belt conveyor; Figure 2 is a detailed view showing in side elevation one of the wear protection devices of the first embodiment mounted onto the chute wall, with bulk material collected in a catchment zone defined between the wear protection device and the adjacent portion of the chute wall; Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 showing the manner in which the wear protection device is itself subject to wear; Figure 4 is a side elevational view of the wear protection device; 15 Figure 5 is a front elevational view of the wear protection device; o 1Figure 6 is a front perspective view of the wear protection device; Figure 7 is a rear perspective view of the wear protection device; Figure 8 is a view similar to the arrangement shown in Figure 1 with the exception that wear protection devices according to the first embodiment are shown installed onto an inclined wall chute; Figure 9 is a schematic side view showing several wear protection devices according to a second embodiment fastened onto a wall of a chute into which bulk material is discharging from a belt conveyor; -6- Figure 10 is a perspective view of one of the wear protection devices according to the second embodiment; Figure 11 is a schematic side view showing a wear protection device according to a third embodiment fastened onto a wall of a chute; Figure 12 is a perspective view of the arrangement shown in Figure 11 in an exploded form; and Figure 13 is a perspective view of the wear protection device according to the third embodiment.

DESCRIPTION

The first embodiment shown in the drawings is directed to a wear protection device 11 used in association with a chuie 13 which receives bulk material such as ore extracted in a mining operation and delivers it to the chute 13 by way of a belt conveyor 17. The chute 13 as shown in Figure 1 of the drawings is of o the straight wall type which includes two opposed walls 21 and 22 respectively.

The wall 22 faces the bulk material discharging from the belt conveyor 17 and is in the trajectory of at least some of the material discharging from the conveyor, and so is impacted by such material, as shown in Figure 1 of the drawings.

A series of the wear protection devices 11 according to the first embodiment are mounted onto the wall 22 in order to provide the wall with some protection against wear and other damage from the impacting bulk material.

S.o..

Each wear protection device 11 comprises a body 25 of integral construction and formed of a casting of abrasion resistant white iron such a NiHard 4. The body includes a mounting portion 26 adapted to be fastened onto the wall 22 by way of mounting bolts 27 extending through mounting apertures 29 formed in the mounting portion. The mounting portion 26 includes a raised region associated with each mounting aperture 29. Each raised region 30 comprises -7two raised section which define lugs 32 located on opposed sides of the respective mounting aperture 29. With this arrangement, the two lugs 32 are in spaced apart relationship to define a gap 34 therebetween in which the head of the mounting bolt 27 can be received. Each lug 32 has a flat face 38 against which, in use,. the head of the mounting bolt 27 locates. In this way, the lugs 32 restrain the mounting bolt 27 against rotation when its associated nut 28 is screwed onto, or unscrewed from, the threaded shank of the bolt during installation or removal of the wear protection device 11. The lugs 32 may also offer the further benefit of shielding the head of the mounting bolt 27 to provide some protection against the aggressive effects of material impacting on the bolt.

The mounting portion 26 presents a mounting face 31 which defines a contact plane adapted to engage against the surface of the wall 22.

The body 25 further includes a catchment portion 33 formed integrally with the mounting portion 26. The catchment portion 33 extends away from the contact 15 plane defined by the mounting face 31 and -terminates at an uppermost edge The catchment portion 33 progressively increases in thickness from a region at which it is thinnest adjacent the mounting portion 26 to a region at which it is "thickest adjacent the uppermost edge 35. The uppermost edge 35 is most exposed to wear and it is for that reason that it is thicker than the mounting 20 portion 26. The mounting portion 26 is reasonably protected against wear from the oncoming bulk material and so does not require the thickness of the upper edge The catchment portion 33 has an inner face 34 which is hollowed-out to provide minimum wastage of casting material and a reduction in weight.

The body further comprises a reinforcing rib 36 extending between the mounting and catchment portions 26 and 33 respectively on the side of the body 25 remote from the wall 22. The reinforcement rib 36 is provided for the purpose of strengthening the body to increase its resistance to damage from impact by the -8oncoming bulk material, particularly by constituents of the bulk material which are larger than normal size.

When the wear protection device 11 is mounted onto the chute wall 22 as shown in Figure 1, a catchment zone 37 (commonly known as a rock box) is defined between the catchment portion 33 and the adjacent portion 39 of the chute wall.

The catchment zone 37 provides an area in which a mass 41 of bulk material can collect. The mass of bulk material 41 progressively develops into a pile 43, as best seen in Figures 2 and 3 of the drawings. The pile 43 presents a sloping face which extends downwardly to the outer edge of the upper edge 35 of the wear protection device 11. The pile 43 serves to shield the adjacent portion of the wall 22 against which it lies so as to protect that portion of the wall surface from oncoming bulk material discharging from the conveyor. Indeed, material striking the sloping face 45 of the pile simply cascades down that face and into the chute 13.

15 The wear protection devices 11 are fitted onto the chute wall 22 in an array which is illustrated in a side elevation in Figure 1 of the drawings. The array of wear iprotection devices 11 causes the formation of various piles 43 of material which provide protection for the chute wall 22 against wear and damage by impacting material discharging from the conveyor 17.

20 The wear protection devices 11 can be easily fastened onto and removed from the chute wall 22 as necessary by way of the mounting bolts 27. This avoids the need for use of welding equipment within the confines of the chute and the associated dangers of use of such equipment in a confined environment.

The wear profile on each wear protection device 11 is along the slope line of the pile 43 of material, as illustrated in Figure 3 of the drawings and as indicated by an arrow identified by reference character A. With this arrangement, there is a relatively small section of the catchment portion 33 of the wear protection device exposed to wear, the thickness of such section being identified by reference character B in Figure 3 of the accompanying drawings. The presence of the -9catchment zone 37 remains, even though the upper edge 35 may progressively wear, albeit resulting in a progressively decreasing volume of the catchment zone. The length over which the presence of the catchment zone 37 remains is identified by reference character C.

Figure 8 of the accompanying drawings illustrates an arrangement similar to that shown in Figure 1 of the drawings, with the exception that the wear protection devices 11 are shown fitted onto an inclined wall 52 of a delivery chute.

The wear protection device according to a second embodiment is shown in Figures 9 and 10 of the accompanying drawings. The wear protection device 11 according to the second embodiment is of similar construction to the wear protection device according to the first embodiment and so similar reference numerals are used to identify corresponding parts. The wear protection device 11 according to the second embodiment is of a configuration which more closely resembles a conventional microledge.

15 A wear protection device according to a third embodiment is shown in Figures 11, S. 12 and 13 of the accompanying drawings. The wear protection device 11 according to the third embodiment is constructed for mounting onto a chute wall 22 of the type which incorporates a mounting ledge 23. The wear protection device 11 is mounted onto the mounting ledge 23 by way of mounting bolts 27 20 passing through mounting apertures 29 within the body 25 and corresponding mounting holes 55 in the mounting ledge 23. With this arrangement the mounting portion 26 of the body 25 bears against the upper face of the mounting ledge 23.

The general trajectory of material impacting on the wear protection device 11 in this embodiment is indicated by the arrow identified by reference character D in 25 Figure 11. The extent of the projected cover provided by the wear protection device 11 is identified by reference character E. Reference character F denotes the included angle between the sloping face 45 of the pile 43 and the horizontal mounting ledge 23.

From the foregoing, it is evident that the present invention provides a simple yet highly effective, one-piece, reduced-weight, wear protection device which can be easily fitted onto a wall surface and easily removed as necessary for replacement.

Throughout the specification, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise" or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or group of integers but not the exclusion of any other integer or group of integers.

It should be appreciated that the scope of the invention need not be limited to the scope of the various embodiments described. In particular, it should be understood that the wear protection devices may be applicable to installation on any surface requiring protection against wear from exposure to aggressive materials.

06 oo o.

Claims

1. A wear protection device comprising a body having a mounting portion adapted to be fastened onto a wall surface by way of a removable fastening device, said mounting portion defining a contact plane adapted to engage against said wall surface, and a catchment portion formed integrally with the mounting portion, the catchment portion extending away from said contact plane whereby in use a catchment zone is defined between said catchment portion and an adjacent portion of the wall surface.

2. A wear protection device according to claim 1 wherein the body is formed as a casting.

3. A wear protection device according to claim 2 wherein the casting is of abrasion-resistant white iron such as NiHard 4 0 0*e1 4. A wear protection device according to claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein the catchment •portion presents an uppermost lip. A wear protection device according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the body includes an integral reinforcing rib extending between the mounting and catchment portions.

6. A wear protection device according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the mounting portion is provided with at least one mounting aperture for receiving a mounting bolt.

7. A wear protection device according to claim 6 wherein mounting portion includes a raised region which is associated with the mounting aperture and adjacent which the head of the mounting bolt is received.

12- 8. A wear protection device according to claim 7 wherein the raised region comprises two raised sections spaced apart to define a gap therebetween in which the head of the bolt is received. 9. A wear protection device according to claim 8 wherein the raised region defines a face against which the head of the mounting bolt can locate for limiting rotation of the bolt. A wear protection device substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Dated this twenty-eighth day of September 2001. WUNDOWIE FOUNDRY PTY LTD Applicant Wray Associates Perth, Western Australia Patent Attorneys for the Applicant(s)