GB2106852A

GB2106852A - Remote control equipment

Info

Publication number: GB2106852A
Application number: GB08129076A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Michael George Smalls; Michael Ernest Gurr
Original assignee: Coal Industry Patents Ltd
Current assignee: Coal Industry Patents Ltd
Priority date: 1981-09-25
Filing date: 1981-09-25
Publication date: 1983-04-20
Also published as: GB2106852B

Abstract

Remote control equipment for mining machinery, as for example, a relatively fast speed conveyor (2) comprises an elongated element (4) arrangeable along and adjacent to the conveyor track, and control means (5) for controlling the optional mode of drive means for the conveyor. The control means which has a conveyor running mode and a conveyor stopped mode is attached to the elongated element such that, in use, deflection of the elongated element in a direction transverse to the conveyor track actuates the control means to stop the conveyor. The control means preferably includes a plurality of tilt switches. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Remote control equipment This invention relates to manually operated remote control equipment for running machinery.

In particular, although not exclusively, the present invention relates to manriding conveyor emergency stop equipment for use with relatively fast speed conveyors.

It is known in underground mines to have endless conveyor belt manriding equipment installations with mounting and dismounting transfer stations provided at appropriate locations along the length of the conveyor, the installations being used to transport miners along the underground roadways towards and /or away from their places of work on the rock or mineral faces.

It is also known for emergency stop equipment to be provided to enable riders to stop the manriding conveyors. Typically such known equipment comprises pull wires extending along and adjacent to the conveyor tracks, the pull wires being linked to pull switches sited at intervals along the conveyor tracks. Such known switches can utilise changes in capacitance to effect remote operation of the switching operators.

In addition, it is known for emergency stop equipment comprising a rigid hinged gate or bar to be provided across the conveyor track to stop a conveyor in the event of a rider overshooting a terminal transfer station.

Deflection of the gate or bar is utilised to activate a limit switch to stop the conveyor.

As time passes and the underground workings progressively become more remote from the mine shafts, it is desirable to reduce the miner's travelling time by employing relatively fast speed conveyors. Unfortunately, at conveyor speeds greater than about 2.5 metres per second, it becomes difficult and potentially dangerous, to operate the known manriding conveyor emergency stop equipment. It will be appreciated that when travelling at such relatively high speeds it is difficult to grab and hold a stationary wire, there being a tendency for the operator to be dragged off the conveyor.

An object of the present invention is to provide manriding conveyor emergency stop equipment which tends to overcome, or reduce, the above mentioned problem.

According to the present invention remote control equipment for running machinery comprises an elongated element arrangeable along and adjacent to an operator path, and control means for controlling the operational mode of drive means for the machinery, the control means having a machinery running mode and a machinery stopped mode and being attachable to the elongated element such that, in use, deflection of the elongates element activates the control means into the machinery stopped mode.

The present invention also provides conveyor stop equipment comprising an elongated element arrangeable along and adjacent to the conveyor track, and control means for controlling the operational mode of drive means for the conveyor, the control means has a conveyor running mode and a conveyor stopped mode and is attachable to the elongated element such that, in use, deflection of the elongated elements actuates the control means into a conveyor stopped mode.

Preferably, deflection of the elongated element in a direction generally transverse to the conveyor track activates the control means into a conveyor stopped mode.

Preferably, the elongated element comprises a tensioned wire.

Conveniently, the control means comprises a plurality of tilt switches.

Conveniently, each tilt switch is pivotally supported.

Alternatively, each tilt switch comprises a resilient body and fixed mounting.

By way of example, two embodiments of the invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a portion of a manriding conveyor installation provided with emergency stop equipment constructed in accordance with the present invention; Figure 2 shows a side view of a detail of Fig. 1, the detail being shown in one operational mode, and Figure 3 shows a front view of the detail of Fig. 2, the detail being shown in an alternative operational mode; Figure 4 shows a side view of a second embodiment of the detail of Fig. 2, the detail being shows in one operational mode; and Figure 5 shows a front view of the detail of Fig. 4, the detail being shown in an alternative operational mode.

Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 shows a front view of a portion of a manriding belt conveyor installation sited in an underground roadway 1 only a part of the profile of which is indicated. The installation comprises an effectively endless conveyor belt 2 having a track extending along the roadway. The conveyor belt is driven at relatively fast speed for example 2.5 metres per second via a drive station (not shown) sited adjacent one end. A return station (not shown) is located at the return end of the conveyor.

The conveyor belt provides a manriding facility for miners travelling to or from the working face. Mounting and dismounting stations (not shown) are provided at appropriate locations along the length of the conveyor.

The manriding installation is provided with manriding conveyor emergency stop equipment comprising an elongated element consituted by a tensioned wire 4 extending along and adjacent to the conveyor track. The stop equipment also comprises control means for controlling the operational mode of the drive station for the conveyor, the control means having a conveyor running mode and a conveyor stopped mode. The conveyor means comprises a plurality of tilt switch devices 5 (only one of which is shown in the drawing) suspended between a pivotal support mounting 6 and an attachment 7 attaching the device to the tensioned wire.

Each of the tilt switch devices 5 comprises a switch mechanism which when the device is suspended generally vertically (as seen in Fig.

2) is closed in a conveyor running mode to permit the conveyor drive to be actuated to drive the conveyor and which when the devise is deflected away from the generally vertical portion by a preselected desired amount (as seen in Fig.3) is open circuited into a conveyor stopped mode in which the conveyor drive is switched off or deactivated. In Fig. 3 the direction of the deflection of the device is indicated by arrow X.

The tilt switch device 5 may comprise, for example, an integral mercury switch, a microswitch and linkage means, or reed switches or magnets.

Thus, in use, a miner travelling on the conveyor belt 2 at relatively high speed can stop the conveyor by deflecting the tension wire 4 sufficiently to deflect the tilt switch into a conveyor stopped mode. The passenger is not required to grab and hold the wire and therefore there is not tendency for him to be dragged off the relatively fast speed conveyor.

During activation of the emergency stop equipment the passenger allows his hand to slide along the deflected wire.

In other arrangements the attachment 7 is fixedly mounted to the tensioned wire.

Fig. 4 and 5 show a second embodiment of tilt switch device 10 in which the pivoted mounting of the first described embodiment is dispensed with. The second embodiment includes a fixed mounting of a resilient body the deflection of which is arranged to actuate the device into its conveyor stopped mode, the device being deflected by a desired preselected amount in the direction indicated by arrowX Bending of the resilient body activates bending and pulling of integral wires which activates a switch, as for example, a micro switch.

In both the previously described embodiments, the control means includes a locking out arrangement which prevents restarting of the conveyor until the control is manually reset. The control means also may be provided with means for indicating which of the switch devices has been activated.

In other embodiments of the present invention the tensioned wire may be replaced by a rigid bar or a cable.

The running machinery may comprise other than a conveyor, the elongated element being arranged along a path travelled by the remote control equipment operator.

Claims

1. Remote control equipment for running machinery, comprising an elongated element arrangeable along and adjacent to an operator path, and control means for controlling the operational mode of drive means for the machinery, the control means having a machinery running mode and a machinery stopped mode and being attachable to the elongated element such that, in use, deflection of the elongated element activates the control means into the machinery stopped mode.

2. Conveyor stop equipment comprising an elongated element arrangeable along and adjacent to the conveyor track, and control means for controlling the operational mode of drive means for the conveyor, the control means having a conveyor running mode and a conveyor stopped mode and being attachable to the elongated element such that, in use, deflection of the elongated element actuates the control means into a conveyor stopped mode.

3. Equipment as claimed in claim 2, in which deflection of the elongated element in a direction generally transverse to the conveyor track activates the control means into a conveyor stopped mode.

4. Equipment as claimed in claim 2 or 3, in which the elongated element comprises a tensioned wire.

5. Equipment as claimed in claim 2, 3 or 4 in which the control means comprises a plurality of tilt switches.

6. Equipment as claimed in claim 5, in which each tilt switch is pivotally supported.

7. Equipment as claimed in claim 5, in which each tilt switch comprises a fixed mounting and a resilient body.

8. Equipment as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, in which the control means comprising locking out means for preventing restart of the conveyor until the means is manually reset.

9. Manriding conveyor emergency stop equipment, substantially as described herein and substantially as indicated in Fig. 1 to 3 and Figs 4 and 5 of the accompanying drawings.

9. Equipment as claimed in any one of the preceding claims 5 to 8 in which the control means comprises means for indicating which of the tilt switches has been activated.

10. Manriding conveyor emergency stop equipment, substantially as described herein and substantially as indicated in Fig. 1 to 3 and Figs 4 and 5 of the accompanying drawings.

CLAIMS (3 Dec 1982)

1. Remote control equipment for running machinery, comprising an elongated element arrangeable along and adjacent to an operator path, and control means for controlling the operational mode of drive means for the ma chine, the control means comprising a number of switch devices which in use are suspendable from mountings and attachable to the elongate element, the control means having a machinery running mode and a machinery stopped mode and being attachable to the elongated element such that, in use, deflection of the elongated element tilts at least one switch device to activate the control means into the machinery stopped mode.

2. Conveyor stop equipment comprising an elongated element arrangeable along and adjacent to the conveyor track, and control means for controlling the operational mode of drive means for the conveyor, the control means comprising a number of switch devices which in use are suspendable from mountings and attachable to the elongate element, the control means having a conveyor running mode and a conveyor stopped mode and being attachable to the elongated element such that, in use, deflection of the elongated element tilts at least one switch device to actuate the control means into a conveyor stopped mode.

3. Equipment as claimed in claim 2, in which the elongated element comprises a tensioned wire.

4. Equipment as claimed in claim 2 or 3, in which the or each switch device comprises a tilt switch.

5. Equipment as claimed in claim 4, in which the or each tilt switch is pivotally supported by the mounting.

6. Equipment as claimed in claim 4, in which the or each tilt switch comprises a fixed mounting and a resilient body.

7. Equipment as claimed in any one of the preceding claims 2 to 6 in which the control means comprising locking out means for preventing restart of the conveyor until the means is manually reset.

8. Equipment as claimed in any one of the preceding claims 2 to 7 in which the control means comprises means for indicating which of the switch devices has been activated.