GB2072792A - Hose-cables with coupling devices - Google Patents

Abstract

An electrical cable 10 used in an electro-hydraulic control system for mining equipment is accommodated within a hydraulic pressure hose 13, which acts as a protective sheath. The hose 13, is provided with a coupling component 14, which mates with a complementary coupling component 20, as a plug-in coupling device. The electrical cable 10 can pass through the coupling device 14, 20, (as in Figure 1) or else the components of the coupling device may employ electrical connectors (e.g. Figures 2-6, not shown) which mate to connect the cable 10 to another cable (10%, Figures 2-4) or to some other means via the coupling device. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in hose-cables with coupling devices for use in electro-hydraulic control of mining equipment The present invention relates to hose-cables with coupling devices for use in the electro-hydraulic control of mining equipment.

In the field of control of mining machinery and equipment it is known to employ hoses, which act as pressure conduits or lines, made from a flexible reinforced material able to work with pressure medium - hydraulic or pneumatic, at pressures of about 200 to 500 bars maximum. It is also known to interconnect such hoses, or to connect such hoses to other means, with the aid of plug-in coupling devices which join the hoses in a traction-proof and sealed manner. It is also known to unite a group or bundle of hoses within a sheath.

An example of a known type of construction is described in German patent specification 2059576.

Nowadays in addition to pressure conduits, underground mine equipment control systems often need low-power electrical cables to feed drive and/or control signals to open and close electro-magnetic pressure fluid valves. The multiplicity of hydraulic fluid conduits and electrical cables together with their separate coupling devices and connectors in a typical control system involves considerable expense and a general object of this invention is to provide improved forms of hose-cable and coupling devices.

The present invention is based on the simple realization that it is possible to employ the existing types of hydraulic hoses and coupling devices with an electrical cable and with optional electrical connectors as inserts. The present invention provides a hydraulic fluid hose or pressure medium hose which is used as a protective sheath for an electrical cable and a coupling component at the end of the sheath which forms part of a plug-in coupling device. The coupling component may be a male plug part which is receivable by a female recess part forming a complementary component of the coupling device or vice versa.

The electrical cable, which preferably has a clearance of about at least one to two mm. with respect to the interior of the sheath, may pass entirely through the coupling device without interruption. Alternatively, the components of the coupling device may be provided with multi-part electrical connector inserts which act as electrical connective means to connect the cable conductors to terminals or to another cable for example.

The-sheath for the cable is well able to withstand the harsh, rough working conditions encountered in a mine working since hydraulic hoses have been developed specifically for this purpose. By utilizing the existing hoses to protect the cable and by utilizing existing types of hydraulic coupling devices either unmodified or modified in comparatively simple respects, the separate, dual nature of the electrical and hydraulic components can be dispensed with and unified structures with attendant reduced expense of installation and maintenance can take their place. The electrical cable now adequately protected within the reinforced, wear-resistant hose can be a relatively cheap unarmoured cable without any special characteristics. Similarly, the hose used for its protective sheath can be a standard item as employed throughout the mine working.

The coupling components forming the coupling device for the hose-cable structure of the invention can be quick-release plug-in couplings which have become more-or-less standardized in mine workings. Releasable locking members can be used to secure the plug-in components together. A design which has certain advantages has one component mounted to a wall of a housing containing control means of the electro-hydraulic control system. The cable can then be led into the housing directly or else interrupted by electrically connective means of the coupling devices. With the components mated together the electrical cable, and the connective means if used, is or are, reliably shielded and protected. The connective means can take the form of detachable inserts, themselves of male and female plug-in form, located to the components and preferably inside bores therein.

The coupling components hold the hose in a traction-proof manner to the housing. To avoid twisting the cable and to facilitate assembly it is preferable to permit the connectors or inserts to rotate with respect to the coupling components.

Although the hose containing the cable need only form a protective sheath it is possible to subject the hose to internal pressure by means of a pressure medium, such as a protective inert gas or else a hydraulic or pneumatic pressure fluid used for control or actuation of the associated mining equipment. In the latter cases the hose can then serve a dual purpose i.e. protecting the cable and transmitting pressure fluid utilized in the general sense in the control system.

Although a single hose-cable and coupling device structure is usable in the practise of the invention, the hose and its electrical cable can form one of a group or bundle of similar hoses contained in an external sheath. The other hoses in the bundle, or some of these other hoses, then serve to convey pressure fluid or medium. Each hose can be connected to its own coupling component receivable by its own associated complementary coupling component. The coupling devices formed by all the coupling components, can be united however by common housing or coupling bodies which are themselves interconnectible.

The invention may be understood more rapidly, and various other features of the invention may become apparent from consideration of the following description.

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of examples only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: Figures 1 to 5 are part-sectional side views of various hose-cables and coupling devices constructed in accordance with the invention; and Figure 6 is a sectional side view of a complementary housing part for use with the arrangement depicted in Figure 5.

As shown in Figure 1 an electrical cable 10 has two internal individually-insulated conductors 11, 12 within an external protective insulation covering. The cable 10 serves to convey electrical current at relatively low power usable for example in an electro-hydraulic control system for mining equipment. The cable 10 may have an external diameter of about 8 to 10 mm, for example. The cable 10 is located within a protective sheath 13 which is otherwise used as a hydraulic pressure fluid hose or conduit. The hose used as the sheath 1 3 may be of the type conventional for hydraulic control of mining equipment where the pressure of the fluid is around 200 to 500 bars maximum. The hose used as the sheath 13 would normally be fabricated from rubber or synthetic rubber or a synthetic plastics equivalent in which a steelfabric insert layer or the like is embedded.The internal diameter of the sheath 1 3 is at least 1 to 2 mm greater than the external diameter of the cable 10. This permits the cable 10 to be introduced easily into the sheath 13 and drawn through the sheath 13 during assembly. A coupling component 14 is fitted to the end region of the sheath 13. The coupling component 14 is adapted to mate with a separate complementary coupling component 20 and the resultant plug-in coupling device composed of these components 14, 20 is of the type known per se. More particularly, the coupling component 14 is composed of a male plug part 1 6 attached to the sheath 13 with the aid of a clamping sleeve 15.

The plug part 16 has a groove 18 near its end which receives an O-ring 18 and a further groove 19 spaced inwardly from the groove 1 8. The coupling component 20 takes the form of a female bushing provided with a projecting screwthreaded spigot portion. The component 20 is secured, for example, to a plate or wall 21 of a housing which may house control means for the mining equipment. The bushing is received by a bore in the plate 21 and å screw-threaded ring 22 engages on the screw-threaded spigot portion of the bushing to clamp on a washer which is interposed between the Dlate 21 and the ring 22.

The bushing is provided with a stepped internal bore 23 shaped to conform with, and adapted to receive, the plug part 16. This bore 23 includes a groove 24 positioned to correspond with the groove 19 in the plug part 16 when the plug part 16 is engaged therein. A narrow axial outlet bore 23' communicates with the stepped bore 23. The groove 24 is accessible from the exterior periphery of the bushing. In order to detachably secure the component 14, and hence the sheath 13, to the plate 21 the plug part 14 is introduced into the bore 23 of the bushing and a locking member 25 of U-shape is introduced from the exterior of the coupling device 14. 20 to engage in the aligned grooves 1 9, 24. The member 25 locks the components 14, 20 together and can be withdrawn to allow their separation.The O-ring 18 carried by the plug part 16 forms an internal seal between the components 14, 20. It is possible to subject the interior of the sheath 13 to pressure and indeed to use the sheath 13 to convey pressure fluid which is transferred by the device 14, 20 as is known. In any event, the electrical cable 10 extends through the coupling device 14, 20 and passes out through the axial bore 23' of the bushing to emerge into the housing wherein the conductors 11, 1 2 are connected with suitable terminals.

In the arrangement depicted in Figure 2 like reference numerals are used to denote similar parts to Figure 1. In contrast to Figure 1, the coupling device 14, 20 in the Figure 2 construction is modified so as to serve to connect the conductors 11, 12 of the cable 10 electrically to separate conductors 11 1 2' of another electrical cable 10', for example. The plug part 1 6 of the coupling component 14 is therefore provided with an electrical insert of connector 26 which is fitted into an axial bore 27 inside the plug part 1 6. The connector 26 is retained inside the plug part 16 by any suitable method, for example as an interference fit, possibly with additional clamping or supportive means located for example on the end face 28 of the part 16.The insert or connector 26 is itself of multi-part construction with a conductive metal sleeve 29 and a central coaxial conductive metal pin 30. An insulating sleeve 31 is positioned between the conductive sleeve 29 and the pin 30 while another external insulating sleeve 34 is positioned between the sleeve 29 and the interior of the bore 27. It is possible to unite the sleeves 31,34 as one part.

The conductors 11, 12 of the cable 10 are electrically connected to the pin 30 and the sleeve 29 as indicated at 32 and 33. The complementary coupling component or bushing 20 is also provided with an insert or connector 35. this connector 35 is again of multi-part construction with a conductive metal outer sleeve 36 and a conductive metal inner sleeve 37. An insulating sleeve 38 is positioned between the sleeves 36, 37.

The sleeves 36, 37, 38 are located in a bore of a flanged body which fits into an axial end bore in the bushing 20. The bushing of Figure 1 is thus modified to increase the diameter of the bore 23' to accept the body. This flanged body can again be retained in the bushing 20 in any suitable manner such as is described above in connection with the insert 26 of the plug part 14 or else by screwthreaded engagement therein. The connector 35 is accessible from within the housing, partly defined by the plate 21, and the conductors 11', 12' of the cable 10' inside the housing are electrically connected to the sleeves 38, 36.

respectively, as indicated at 32', 33', respectively.

When the coupling components 14. 20 are mated together and locked as described previously in connection with Figure 1 , the pin 30 is electrically connected to the sleeve 37 and the sleeve 29 is electrically connected to the sleeve 36. In this way electrical connection is established between the conductors 11, 12 and 11 12' of the cables 1 0, 1 0'.

The arrangement depicted in Figure 3 again employs like reference numerals to denote like parts with respect to the constructions shown in Figures 1 and 2. In contrast to Figure 2, the Figure 3 construction has a different type of electrical connection between the coupling components 14, 20. In Figure 3, the plug part 16 has an insert or connector 40 fitted into its central bore (c.f. 27 Figure 2). This connector 40 engages on the end face (c.f. 28 Figure 2) of this plug part 1 6. This connector 40 has two projecting metal conductive pins 41,42 which are electrically connected to the conductors 11, 12 of the cable 10 and insulated from one another.The coupling component or bushing 20 is also modified so that its insert or connector 45 is formed with conductive elements 44, 43 which have openings for receiving the pins 41,42 preferably resiliently. These elements 44, 43 are again electrically connected to the conductors 11 12' as shown and the joining of the components 14,20 again establishes electrical connection between the conductors 11, 12 and 11', 12'.

The arrangement depicted in Figure 4 again employs like reference numerals to denote like parts with respect to the constructions described above. In contrast to Figure 2, the roles of the inserts or connectors 26, 35 are reversed. Thus in Figure 2 the connector 26 of the plug part 1 6 external to the housing is the male counterpart to the female connector 35 inside the housing. In the Figure 4 construction, the male connector 26 is fitted to the component 20 and by making the flanged body from an insulating material the additional insulating sleeve 34 of Figure 2 can be omitted. The female connector 35 is in the Figure 4 construction fitted to the plug part 16. The advantage of this modified arrangement is that the conductive parts, including the pin 30, all lie protected inside the coupling components 14, 20, whether these components are together or apart.

It is worth stressing at this point that in all the constructions shown in Figures 2 to 4 the connectors 26, 35, 40 and 45 are separately formed and are used with the normal coupling components 1 4, 20 of Figure 1 which only need modifying in minor respects.

In the final embodiment depicted in Figures 5 and 6 a composite multi-purpose hose cable and coupling device is realized. As shown in Figure 5 a flexible external sheath 50 contains a plurality of flexible conduits or lines bunched together inside the sheath 50. The overall multi-line hose thus formed is joined to a common housing part 53 and Figure 6 shows the complementary housing part 58. The lines 51 are each in the form of an individual hydraulic or pneumatic pressure fluid hose of known construction but at least one of these hoses forms the protective sheath (c.f. 1 3 Figures 1-4) for an interior electrical cable. The remaining hoses or lines convey hydraulic or pneumatic pressure medium. Clamping sleeves or bushes 52. 54 serve to connect the overall multiline hose 51,51 to the housing part 53.The sleeve 52 is press-fitted around the sheath 50 while the sleeve 54 acts as an internal support as known per se. The external sleeve 52 locates with a flange inside the main body of the housing part 53. All the individual lines 51 each have a coupling or plug component 55 at their end and these parts 55 locate in the body of the housing part 53. The coupling components or plugs 55 are connected to the lines 51 in a traction-proof manner, are provided with O-ring seals in grooves 18 and are received for swivelling in individual bores in a retention plate 56 fixed in the body of the housing part 53 with the aid of a circlip 57.

Such constructions are known per se but in accordance with the invention the hose or line 51 which accommodates the electrical cable has a plug component 55 which is provided with an insert or electrical connector 26 which as illustrated corresponds to Figure 2, but which may alternatively correspond to Figure 3 or 4. The other complementary housing part 58 shown in Figure 6 is adapted to join with the housing part 53 in the manner of a plug-in coupling device. The part 58 takes the form of a bushing with a plurality of internal bores 59 and an externally-threaded end portion or spigot received in a bore in the wall or plate 21 of a housing. A screw-threaded ring serves to clamp the bushing to the plate 21. The bores 59 act as complementary coupling components since they serve to receive the individual plug components 55.The bore 59 which receives the component 55 provided with the electrical connector 26 is itself provided with an insert or electrical connector 25 which corresponds to Figure 2 but which may correspond to Figure 3 or 4 as appropriate. The bores 59 are in any event provided with screw threaded inserts remote from the plug components 55 which link further hoses located inside the housing to the interiors of the bores 59.

When the assembly is united with the parts 53, 58 brought together to form a common housing for the coupling devices 55, 59 a U-shaped locking member can be inserted into aligned grooves 60, 61 of these parts 53, 58. The plug components 55 fit inside the bores 59 with the interposition of the sealing rings to ensure both an electrical and a hydraulic or pneumatic connection between the lines inside the outside the housing. It is however feasible to modify the construction depicted in Figures 5 and 6 so that the electrical cable merely passes through the parts 53, 58 in the manner depicted in Figure 1.

Although in all the embodiments described in connection with the accompanying drawings, the coupling component 20 or housing part 58 is fitted to a plate 21 itself forming part of a housing this is merely illustrative and the component or part 20, 58 can be fitted to a variety of other structures or else merely connected in a detachable manner to another hose section, either a multiple line or single line hose.

Claims (22)

1. For use in the electro-hydraulic control of mining equipment, the combination of a pressure medium hose employed as a protective sheath for an electrical cable with individual conductors disposed therein and a coupling component at the end of said sheath which forms part of a plug-in coupling device.

2. The combination according to claim 1, wherein the coupling component is a male part which is receivable by a female part forming a complementary component of the coupling device.

3. The combination according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a locking member serves to secure the components of said plug-in coupling device together.

4. The combination according to claim 1,2 or 3, wherein the internal diameter of the sheath provides clearance in relation to the external diameter of the cable.

5. The combination according to claim 4, wherein the clearance is at least one to two mm.

6. The combination according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the cable extends through the coupling device without interruption.

7. The combination according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the plug-in coupling device serves to connect the cable electrically to other means.

8. The combination according to claim 1, wherein said coupling component is provided with a multi-part connector to which the conductors of the cable are connected electrically.

9. The combination according to claim 8, wherein a complementary component of the coupling device is provided with a multi-part connector which mates with the connector of said first-mentioned coupling component when the components are joined.

10. The combination according to claim 9, wherein a further cable has conductors connected electrically to the connector of the complementary component of the coupling device and the cable and further cable are connected electrically via the coupling device.

11. The combination according to claim 10, wherein the further cable is disposed within a housing of control means and the complementary component is mounted to a wall of the housing.

12. The combination according to any one of claims 8 to 11, wherein the or each multi-part connector forms an optional detachable insert for the associated coupling component.

13. The combination according to claim 9, wherein the multi-part connectors are separate and detachable from the coupling component and the complementary coupling component.

14. The combination according to claim 8, wherein the multi-part connector locates within a bore in the coupling component.

15. The combination according to claim 9, wherein one multi-part connector has a projection which engages within the other multi-part connector.

16. The combination according to any one of claims 1 to 15, wherein the sheath is subjected to internal pressure by access to a pressure medium.

17. The combination according to claim 16, wherein the pressure medium is conveyed by the hose and is utilized in said control.

18. The combination according to any one of claims 1 to 17, wherein the hose and its internal electrical cable form one of a bundle of similar hoses contained within an external sheath.

19. The combination according to claim 18.

wherein at least some of the other hoses in the bundle serve to convey pressure medium and each hose is connected to its own individual coupling component which is receivable by a complementary coupling component.

20. The combination according to claim 19, wherein the coupling components and the complementary coupling components are united with common housing parts which are also interconnectible.

21. The combination according to claim 20, wherein the housing parts also themselves form a plug-in coupling device.

22. A hose-cable with a coupling component or a composite structure employing the same substantially as described with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.