CA1157489A - Continuous excavating apparatus - Google Patents

Continuous excavating apparatus

Info

Publication number
CA1157489A
CA1157489A CA000364172A CA364172A CA1157489A CA 1157489 A CA1157489 A CA 1157489A CA 000364172 A CA000364172 A CA 000364172A CA 364172 A CA364172 A CA 364172A CA 1157489 A CA1157489 A CA 1157489A
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
frame
excavating
boom
ground engaging
buckets
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired
Application number
CA000364172A
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Jonas L. Roe
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Priority to CA000437166A priority Critical patent/CA1177857A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of CA1157489A publication Critical patent/CA1157489A/en
Expired legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • EFIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E21EARTH DRILLING; MINING
    • E21CMINING OR QUARRYING
    • E21C31/00Driving means incorporated in machines for slitting or completely freeing the mineral from the seam
    • E21C31/10Driving means incorporated in machines for slitting or completely freeing the mineral from the seam for slewing parts of the machines
    • EFIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E21EARTH DRILLING; MINING
    • E21CMINING OR QUARRYING
    • E21C27/00Machines which completely free the mineral from the seam
    • E21C27/20Mineral freed by means not involving slitting
    • E21C27/30Mineral freed by means not involving slitting by jaws, buckets or scoops that scoop-out the mineral
    • EFIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E21EARTH DRILLING; MINING
    • E21CMINING OR QUARRYING
    • E21C35/00Details of, or accessories for, machines for slitting or completely freeing the mineral from the seam, not provided for in groups E21C25/00 - E21C33/00, E21C37/00 or E21C39/00
    • E21C35/20General features of equipment for removal of chippings, e.g. for loading on conveyor

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE

The invention provides a continuous excavating apparatus principally designed for use in mining operations and includes an elongated frame having heavy upright side walls and a mobile support mechanism. At its front end the frame mounts an endless bucket line for pivotal motion about both an upright and a transverse axis, the heavy frame providing a counterbalance for the forces generated during the excavating operation. The buckets are mounted on hinge pins whose enlarged ends engage supporting sprockets in a fashion to reduce and distribute wear resultant from normal operation, and the buckets include replaceable excavating teeth enabling ready replacement when required.

Description

D ~57~9 The present invention relates generally to powered excavating apparatus and more particularly to a combined excavating and conveying apparatus arranged to dig and convey large quantities of material such as ore in a mining operation.
In many mining operations, digging or breakout forces in the neighborhood of 200,000 pounds are required/
and at the same time, for practical utilization, the exca-vated material must be removed at rates approaching 100 tons per hour. With existent equipment these two practical requirements are not achieved. For example, mechanical devices such as backhoes and front end loaders could pos-sibly deliver the requisite forces but have not the capacity to remove the material in such large quantities. On the othex hand, certain boom-mounted rotary heads can remove the material at adequate rates but are not only incapable of delivexing the xequisite forces but also establish force components which tend to move the entixe machi~e sideways so as to render its operation impractical.

, ~

~ ~57~9 Both problems are aggravated when one wi~hes to perform the excavating and conveying operation in a mining tunnel whose lateral dimensions conventionally are no more than six feet high and five feet wide, since the mentioned breakout or digging forces are sufficient to lift or transversely displace the mobile carrier for the equipment. The problems could be alleviated if it were possible, as in some surface applications, to mount a counterbalance weight behind, and in line with, the digging bcom or arm, so as to be capable of swinging therewith. In the confined space of tunnel digging or mining, which the present device wishes to be capable of, such a solution is out of the question.
~ he present invention seeks to overcome the aforementioned problems but providing a continuous excavating apparatus camprising a longitudinally elongated, low, narro~ frame including a first side-counterweight and a second side-counterweight transversely spaced therefrom, each side-counterweight being formed of a heavy metal elongated plate means of substantially greater length than its width or height; a mobile ground engaging means for said frame; a gimbal mounted on the forward end of the frame for pivotal motion about a vertical axis; a boom mounted on the gimbal for movement about a horizontal axis; the boom including an endless excavating bucket line for digging material at the movable free end of the boom to cause, while digging, a force tending to pivot the frame about a leading end of the ground engaging means; means connecting the boom to the frame at a level substantially the same as the ground engaging means for adjusting the bcom and for resisting the force; the frame having an effective center of gravity and sufficient dead weight to provide a greater counter force around the leading end of the ground engaging means than the pivoting force to maintain the bucket line in ~. ~

~ ~ s~9 an excava-ting position and each heavy metal plate n~ans having a center of gravity and sufficient dead ~eight to provide a counter force to forces tending to rotate -the frame about i-ts longitudinal axis when performing an off center digging operation.
In a preferred e ~ iment the mobile ground engaging means is a driven pair of endless tracks, located beneath the frame and substantially thin the lateral extent thereof and extending forwardly of the forward end of the frame, the frame overhanging the rear end of the endless tracks.
Preferably a conveyor means is provided, extending upwardly and rearwardly from a point adjacent ~he front end to-a point adjacent the rear of the frame and being located between the side-counterweights for receiving material from the bucket line.
The continuous excavating apparatus has a minim~m profile or contour so that it can be utilized in a confined area such as a mining tunnel, and yet is capable of providing the requisite excavating forces and of conveying the excavated material at a relatively high rate of speed, approaching 100 tons per hour.
The lateral dimensions of the heavy elongated frame are limited so that it can pass through a tunnel of dimensions no more than six feet in height and five feet in width, yet the frame is of sufficient weight that experien oe d foroes during the excavating and conveying operations can be accomm~dated.
Preferably the plate means each includes a pair of heavy plates each pair being welded or otherwise joined at their edges and prDviding a total mass approachiny fifty tons which together with the equipment mounted on the frame provides a siynificant counterbalance to the digging forces.
Accordiny to a preferred feature of the invention the bucket line I t ~7~8~

includes a plurality of excavating buckets, adjacent buckets being pivotally connected by a common hinge pin, and a pair of spaced sprockets rotatively supported at each end of the boom and engaging opposite ends of the common pins, each of the pins includes enlarged ends arranged for engagement with the sprockets to cause the enlarged ends tD roll in the sprockets and the central portion of the pin to rotate during operation. m e rDtation of the center portion of the pin in contact with the hinges evenly distributes pin wear.
m e present invention, as briefly summarized herein above, will be m4re fully understood by references to the following detailed description of an exemplary structure - ' ' ~, ` ` ' ' ~ ~57~

s~
~;~
`~

shown in the accompanying drawings wherein:
Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a con-tinuous excavating apparatus embodying the present in-vention, Figure 2 is a top plan view thereof, Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken along line 3-3 of Figure 1 illustrating the gimbal mounting of the excavating boom and details of the bucket structure, Figure 4 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view through the excavating boom illustrating additional details of its construction, and Figure S is a transverse sectional view taken along line 5-5 of Figure 4 illustrating additional struc-tural details of the excavating boom.
With initial reference to Figures 1 and 2, the continuous excavating apparatus embodying the present invention includes a main frame 10 having most of its weight in substantially vertical side walls 12, 14, each formed preferably by a pair of continguous plates which are welded or o~herwise secured at their front, rear, and the top and bottom edges thereof. The frame plates are joined by transverse braces 16, 18 so that the overall configuration of the frame is in ~he form of a hollow channel or box-like configuration, within which certain additional elements of g ~7~

the apparatus can be housed, as will be explained in detail hereinafter.
To provide mobility of the heavy elongated main frame 10, a pair of conventional endless tracks 20 are - 5 mounted therebelow in a conventional fashion but at a position so that the endless tracks project at the forward end of the main frame 10 therebeyond but are recessed from the rearward end of the frame for a purpose which will become apparent hereinafter. As can be seen, particularly by reference to Figure 2, the endless tracks are confined within the lateral contours of the frame so that its overall width is less than five feet and the endless tracks have a height such that, when added to the height of -the side plates, provides an overall vertical dimension of less than six feet. Thus the entire elongated frame and the moblle carriers therefor can pass readily through a tunnel having lateral dimensions no more than six feet in height and five feet in width.

To power the endless tracks and certain additional equipment to be described hereinafter, an electric motor 22 of appropriate power is mounted at the rearward end of main frame 10 on one of the mentioned transverse braces, the precise drive arranyement to the endless tracks being conventional and thus not described in further detail.
Adjacent the forward extremity of the elongated main frame 10 the mentioned upper and lower transverse braces 16, are joined riyidly to the side walls 12, 1~ to support gimbal pins 24, 26 that rotatably carry an open rectangular gimbal frame which, as best shown in Figure 3, can pivot about a generally upright axis and is, in turn, arranged to pivotally support on a transverse shaft 30 the parall~l side plates 32, 34 of an excavating boom, generally indicated at 36, ena~ling its pivotal adjustment about a transverse axis so that the excavating boom can be pivoted both vertically and transversely an amount sufficient so that its extremity can move beyond the lateral and upright contour of the described supporting frame, as indicated by phantom lines in ~igures 1 and 2, thus enabling a tunnel to be excavated which will subsequently allow the passage of the entire frame therethrough.
The side plates 32, 34 of the excavating boom 36 are held in laterally spaced relation by simple rigid metal braces 38 and the outer surfaces thereof mount balls 40, 42 for universal connection to ball sockets 44, 46 at the forward ends of douhle-acting hydraulic rams 48, 50 whose opposite extremities are universally joined to a forward extension 10a of the main frame 10 by similar ball and socket joints 52, 54 to allow the excavating boom to be adjusted vertically or horizontally through actuation of the hydraulic rams 48, 50 by a hydraulic pump 56 that is driven by the previously descrlbed electric motor 22. One valve (not shown) is associated in a conventional fashion with each hydraulic ram and is arranged to supply hydraulic pressure to one or the other end of its associated ram so ~ ~5~

that, as will be apparent, if both valves are open in one direction, both hydraulic rams will extend or retract to raise or lower the excavating boom, whereas on the other hand, if one valve is open in one direction while the other is open in the opposite direction, a lateral motion of the boom will occur; for example, to the phantom-line dispo-sition shown in Figure 2.
Between opposite ends of the described boom side plates 32, 34 laterally-spaced sprockets 58, 60 are mounted at the extremities of tubes 62, 64 which are keyed to mounting shafts, one of which is the previously described shaft 30 (see Figure 3) and the other of which is an idler shaft 66 (see Figure 4) rotatabl~ supported between the side plates 32 9 34 at the remote free end of the excavating boom 36. Each pair of sprockets engages the enlarged opposite ends of a hinge pin 68 which is arranged in bridging re-lationship between the laterally-spaced sprockets to ro-tatably extend through a piano-hing connection in the form of interdigitated hinges 70, 72 at the front and rear of adjacent excavating buckets 74, which provide the material excavating elements of the unit. When it is remembered that considerable forces are encountered during the excavating operation, the enlarged ends of the pin 68 will rotate to provide only rolling friction with the engaged sprocket, thus to reduce sliding friction and extend the useful life of the elements to a considerable extent. Furthermore, it will be seen that each hinge pin 68 common to the foremost 7 ~. 8 3 extremity of one bucket and the rearmost extremity of the adjacent bucket will xotate in the hinges 70, 72, thus to distribute wear and maintain the roundness of the hinge pin and the hinges.
In consideration of the extreme wear experiences by the digging ends of the excavating buckets, replaceable hard teeth 76 are utilized, and, as best shown in Figure 5, each tooth includes a tongue and groove connection 78 between it and its supporting element, which in turn faci-litates replacement thereof after continued wear over an extended period.
The line of buckets mounted on the sprockets is arranged for counterclockwise motion, as shown in Figure 1, when driven by a pair of hydraulic motors 80, 82 which are connected to opposite ends of the sprocket-mounting shaft 30 at the inner end of the bucket line by suitable gear re-duction units 84, 86/ such hydraulic motors each being capable of delivering as much as 150 horsepower when ener-gized by the hydraulic pump 56 driven by the previously described electric motor 22.
Utilization of the described hydraulic actuating mechanism enables a ready variation in the requisite power dependent upon the resistance of the material beiny engaged by the line of excavating buckets. When the buckets engage the material, as can be readily visualized by reference to Figure l r they will be moving in sequence in an upward direction, tending to rotate or pivot the entire machine 8 ~

about a transverse pivot formed at the forward end of -the endless trac~s. Since this pivot point is forwardly of most of the weight of the heavy frame and the elements mounted thereon, considerable forces may be generated without moving the frame about this transverse axis, thus to assur~ the requisite application of force during the excavating opera-tion. Furthermore, if the excavating boom 36 is operating at a lateral angle such as indicated in phantom lines in Figure 2, the reactive force componen~s tending to rotate the main frame 10 about its longitudinal axis will be counterbalanced by the weight of the opposite side wall.
Material excavated and carried by the excavating buckets will be dumped therefrom as they pass in succession over the rear sprocket 58 onto a suitable endless conveyor 88 which lies thereunder and is mounted for conveyance of material deposited thereon beyond the rear end of the frame at an upper elevation so that the material conveyed on the belt can be dumped into a suitable truck or other receptacle (not shown) for removal and subsequent processing~ The conveyor 88 is supported between the frame plates and is powered by suitable connection to the motor 22.
Obviously, many variations and/or alterations in this structure as specifically described can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, and the fore-going description of one embodiment is to be considered aspureIy e~emplary and not in a limiting sense, and the actual scope o~ the invention is to be indicated only by reference to the appended claims.

Claims (5)

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE
PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:
1. Continuous excavating apparatus comprising: a longitudinally elongated, low, narrow frame including a first side-counterweight and a second side-counterweight transversely spaced therefrom, each side-counterweight being formed of a heavy metal elongated plate means of substantially greater length than its width or height; a mobile ground engaging means for said frame; a gimbal mounted on the forward end of said frame for pivotal motion about a vertical axis; a boon mounted on said gimbal for movement about a horizontal axis; said boom including an endless excavating bucket line for digging material at the moveable free end of said boom to cause, while digging, a force tending to pivot the frame about a leading end of said ground engaging means; means connecting said boom to said frame at a level substantially the same as the ground engaging means for adjusting the boom and for resisting said force; said frame having an effective center of gravity and sufficient dead weight to provide a greater counter force around said leading end of said ground engaging means than the pivoting force to maintain said bucket line in an excavating position and said heavy metal plate means having a center of gravity and sufficient dead weight to provide a counter force to forces tending to rotate the frame about its longitudinal axis when performing an off center digging operation.
2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, in which said mobile ground engaging means is a driven pair of endless tracks, located beneath said frame and substantially within the lateral extent thereof and extending forwardly of said forward end of said frame overhanging the rear end of said endless tracks.
3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which conveyor means is provided, extending upwardly and rearwardly from a point adjacent said front end to a point adjacent the rear of the frame and being located between said side-counterweights for receiving material from said bucket line.
4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 or claim 3 wherein said plate means each includes a pair of heavy plates.
5. Apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2 or claim 3 wherein said endless bucket line includes a plurality of excavating buckets, adjacent buckets being pivotally connected by a common hinge pin, and a pair of spaced sprockets rotatively supported at each end of said boom and engaging opposite ends of each of said common pins, each of said pins includes enlarged ends arranged for engagement with said sprockets to cause a central portion of the pin to rotate during operation.
CA000364172A 1979-11-09 1980-11-06 Continuous excavating apparatus Expired CA1157489A (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CA000437166A CA1177857A (en) 1979-11-09 1983-09-20 Bucket connection for a continuous excavating apparatus

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US9302079A 1979-11-09 1979-11-09
US093,020 1993-07-16

Related Child Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA000437166A Division CA1177857A (en) 1979-11-09 1983-09-20 Bucket connection for a continuous excavating apparatus

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA1157489A true CA1157489A (en) 1983-11-22

Family

ID=22236388

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA000364172A Expired CA1157489A (en) 1979-11-09 1980-11-06 Continuous excavating apparatus

Country Status (7)

Country Link
EP (2) EP0028930B1 (en)
AT (1) ATE8167T1 (en)
AU (2) AU546996B2 (en)
CA (1) CA1157489A (en)
DE (2) DE8029824U1 (en)
FR (2) FR2478159A3 (en)
IT (2) IT8023303V0 (en)

Families Citing this family (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP2860345A4 (en) * 2012-05-12 2016-11-02 Suhua Liu Method of device for converting rotary motion to reciprocating percussion motion and device for converting rotary motion to reciprocating percussion motion that implements the method
CN111396042A (en) * 2020-05-19 2020-07-10 韩国辉 A rig equipment that is used for colliery production to have synchronous extraction function

Family Cites Families (13)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE578555C (en) * 1933-06-15 Ida Hamel Geb Ortlieb Underground sheared conveyor
FR510963A (en) * 1915-05-19 1920-12-14 Jules Legrand Apparatus for mechanically digging underground galleries and trenches
US2320196A (en) * 1941-06-16 1943-05-25 Eugene F Smith Tunneling machine
BE498215A (en) * 1949-10-27
CH314241A (en) * 1953-08-10 1956-06-15 Scheuchzer Fils Auguste Chain with meshing function
DE1753989U (en) * 1957-02-08 1957-10-10 Eickhoff Geb LINK BAND.
US3035821A (en) * 1958-09-12 1962-05-22 Amo Placer Mines Inc Bucket type mechanical mole
US3233722A (en) * 1962-08-22 1966-02-08 Charles T Jorgensen Piano type conveyor belt
GB995391A (en) * 1963-05-10 1965-06-16 Himpelm Engineers Ltd Link conveyor belts
DE2155590C3 (en) * 1971-04-02 1974-11-07 Friedrich Wilhelm 4222 Friedrichsfeld Paurat Machine for driving routes, tunnels or the like
GB1393809A (en) * 1972-06-06 1975-05-14 Dobson Park Ind Vehicle mounted mineral or eart moving or working equipment
US4171045A (en) * 1978-01-20 1979-10-16 The Laitram Corporation Raised link modular conveyor belt
US4380354A (en) * 1981-03-12 1983-04-19 National Mine Service Company Mining machine loading bin mounted on boom structure and method

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP0108430A1 (en) 1984-05-16
IT8023303V0 (en) 1980-11-07
AU6412980A (en) 1981-05-14
EP0028930B1 (en) 1984-06-27
IT8023302V0 (en) 1980-11-07
EP0028930A1 (en) 1981-05-20
EP0108430B1 (en) 1986-07-30
DE3068371D1 (en) 1984-08-02
AU4145785A (en) 1985-08-22
FR2493369A3 (en) 1982-05-07
ATE8167T1 (en) 1984-07-15
FR2478159A3 (en) 1981-09-18
FR2493369B3 (en) 1982-11-26
FR2478159B3 (en) 1982-07-02
AU546996B2 (en) 1985-10-03
AU570792B2 (en) 1988-03-24
DE8029824U1 (en) 1981-04-09

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