GB2160489A - Scraper-chain conveyors and pans therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

A scraper-chain conveyor comprises a plurality of pans 1 which provide upper and lower channels for the passage of an endless chain 7 or chains carrying flight bars 8. Each of the pans comprises a deck plate 4 having side members 2,3. The flight bars have a sliding and scraping action with respect to each deck plate and impel loose material therealong. Certain at least of the deck plates have at least one access opening 9 with a cover member 12 tapered in plan, the opening being of complementary tapered shape to receive the cover member. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Scraper-chain conveyers and pans therefor This invention relates to scraper-chain conveyors and to pans therefor suitable for use in mines. Such conveyors usually include a plurality of articulated pans arranged in end-to-end and generally in-line relationship to provide upper and lower channels for the passage of the upper and lower runs of an endless chain or chains carrying flight bars. These flight bars impel loose material such as coal along the upper surface of the deck plates of the pans. Each deck plate has suitably-shaped side members, for example of sigma-shaped cross-section, extending along the two longitudinal edge portions thereof.

The chain or chains are mounted on sprocket units provided at each end of the conveyor and at least one of these units is driven by suitable motor means.

Operation of the motor means causes movement of the chain or chains and thus the flight bars along the upper and lower channels, the bars when in the upper run having a sliding and scraping action along each deck plate.

In certain of such conveyors a lower or base plate, parallel with the respective deck plate of each pan, is secured at its longitudinal edges to the lowermost portions of the pan side members so that the lower channel is completely enclosed, or substantially so.

In these conveyors to permit inspection of the lower run of the chain and its flight bars and to permit access for repairing any damage thereto, for example to repair a broken chain, it is necessary to provide access openings of sufficient size in the deck plates. Such openings each require to be closed, during operation of the conveyor, by a respective cover member which when in place is flush with the upper surface of the deck plate and which is a good fit in the opening so that the cover member does not hinder the smooth passage of the flight bars along the deck plate and so that substantially none of the material passing along the deck plate can gain entry to the lower channel through the opening.

Hitherto, due to the form of cover member provided, not only has some of the material found its way into the lower channel by this route, but such material has become so jammed between the cover member and the access opening that removal of the cover member has often been somewhat difficult and thus time consuming.

The invention as claimed is intended to provide a remedy. It solves the problem of how to design a conveyor having access openings and associated cover members in the pans thereof which together provide good sealing against penetration of material into the lower channel and which afford ready detachment of the cover members for inspection and/or repair of the lower chain run and its flight bars to be carried out.

According to this invention a scraper-chain conveyor, suitable for use in mines, comprises a plurality of pans arranged in end-to-end and generally in-line relationship which provide upper and lower channels for the passage of an endless chain or chains carrying flight bars, each of said pans comprising a deck plate having side members extending along the two longitudinal edge portions thereof and said flight bars when moving along said upper channel having a sliding and scraping action with respect to each said deck plate thereby to be capable of impelling loose material along the deck plate, and certain at least of said deck plates having at least one access opening and a cover member for closing that opening, said cover member being tapered in plan and said opening being of complementary tapered shape to receive the cover member.

Preferably the tapered edges of each opening extend from one side of the respective pan to the other, and thus the respective cover member when fitted is disposed so that its tapered edges extend likewise. Thus the cover member is fitted to said deck plate and is removed therefrom by sliding movement thereof in a direction generally transversely of the longitudinal axis of the pan.

That end portion of said cover member, parallel to said axis, of larger width dimension may be provided with a pair of bored brackets welded or otherwise secured thereto and the end portion of said cover member, parallel to said axis, of smaller width dimension be provided with at least one projection which upon fitment of said cover member in said opening engages a slot provided in the adjacent said side member on that side of the pan.

Preferably two of said projections are provided and within the thickness of each cover member, each projection being associated with a respective said slot. In this case one projection may be longer than the other to facilitate fitment of the cover member to the deck plate.

When a cover member is fitted in its opening the bored brackets may each align with a respective and similar bored bracket welded or otherwise secured to the adjacent said side member on that side of the respective pan. Pins may be inserted in the bores of each pair of adjacent brackets and these pins locked in place by linch pins or the like securely to hold the cover member in its fitted condition.

Preferably, a section of said side member is welded or otherwise secured to the outer edge of said cover member so that when the cover member is in place that section provides full continuity of the respective side member.

Both of said side members of each pan may be of sigma-shaped cross-section.

Also according to the invention there is provided a pan suitable for a scraper-chain conveyor and comprising a deck plate having side members extending along the two longitudinal edge portions thereof, said deck plate having at least one access opening and a cover member for closing that opening, said cover member being tapered in plan and said opening being of complementary tapered shape to receive the cover member.

The advantages offered by the invention are mainly that the need to provide ledges on which to rest the cover member, and which hitherto resulted in reduced clearance below the deck plate, is avoided thus also saving in complexity and cost.

Further ready removal of the cover member is ensured and the tapered shape in plan of the opening and cover member avoids jamming of the cover member, otherwise due in parallel-sided cover members to the ingress of material between the edges of the cover member and of the access opening.

One way of carrying out the invention is described in detail below with reference to drawings which illustrate only one specific embodiment, in which Figure I is a plan view, partly in cross-section, of a pan, chain and flight bars forming part of a scraperchain conveyor, Figure 2is an eniarged cross-section taken along the line II - II on Figure 1, and Figure 3 is an enlarged cross-section taken along the line Ill - Ill on Figure 1.

In the drawings a pan 1 of a scraper-chain conveyor, suitable for use in a mine, comprises two side members 2,3 each of sigma-shaped crosssection and welded to the longitudinal edge portions of a deck plate 4 to form upper and lower channels 5, 6 along which an endless chain 7 carrying flight bars 8 is caused to pass.

The conveyor comprises a number of these pans 1 suitably articulated together and arranged in end-toend and generally in-line relationship. The pans are thus capable of snaking movement in conventional manner. The chain 7 is mounted on sprocket units (not shown) provided at each end of the conveyor, one of those units being driven by a suitable electric motor (also not shown).

On operation of the motorthe chain and flight bars move in the upper and lower channels, the flight bars in the upper run having a sliding and scraping action with respect to the deck plate 4 of each of the pans so as to impel material, such as coal, along the deck plate.

The deck plate is provided with an access opening 9, the edges 10,11 of which are tapered in plan as shown in Figure 1. This opening is intended in operation of the conveyor to be closed by a cover member 12 which in plan is of a tapered shape complementary to that of the opening as also shown in Figure 1. When the cover member is in place the tapered edges 13,14thereof lie in contact with, or are disposed very closely adjacent, the edges 10, 11 of the opening to prevent the passage of material down into the lower channel 6. This lower channel is closed by a base plate 15 which is secured at its longitudinal edges 16, to the lowermost portions 18,19 of side members 2,3.

Projections 20, 21 extending from the edge 22 of the end portion 23 of smaller width dimension of cover member 12 engage in slots 24,25 in side member 2. As shown projection 21 is somewhat larger than projection 20 to facilitate fitment of the cover member. The projections 20,21 are in the plane of cover member 12 and of the same thickness as the cover member or substantially so.

At its other end portion 26, that is the end portion of larger width dimension, the cover member is provided at its edge 27 with a pair of bored brackets 28,29 welded thereto with the common axis 30 of their bores 31,32 parallel to the longitudinal axis 33 of the respective pan 1. Similar bored brackets 34,35 are respectively secured adjacent brackets 28, 29 on side member 3 in the manner shown and when the cover member is correctly positioned over opening 9 bores 31,32 of brackets 28,29 are in alignment with bores 36,37 of brackets 34,35. Pins 38,39 can then be inserted in bores 31,36; 32,37 respectively and are themselves locked in place by suitable iinch pins 40,41 thus to lock the cover member 12 in place.

As shown a section 42 of half sigma-shaped cross-section corresponding to the upper half of side member 3 is welded to the end portion 26 of cover member 12 so that when the cover member is in place over opening 9 that section provides full continuity of side member 3. Also suitable furniture 43 of conventional form is secured to side member 2.

When the cover member is in place the upper surface 44 thereof is flush with the upper surface 45 of deck plate 4 to permit the flight bars and the material being impelled thereby to pass smoothly along the upper channel 5. Since the cover member 12 is a close fit in opening 9 there is little, if any, risk of any of that material finding its way past the cover member into the lower channel.

When it is required to remove the cover member 12 for inspection and/or repair of the chain and/or flight bars within lower channel 6, the linch pins 40, 41 and pins 38,39 are removed and the cover member is moved in the direction transversely of the conveyor, that is downwardly in Figure 1,thus releasing the projections 20, 21 from slots 24, 25.

Further transverse movement and/or lifting of member 12 removes the member completely from opening 9.

Since edges 10, 11; 13, 14 are tapered, during such removal initial movement of the cover member is not hindered by jamming of material between those edges, as has hitherto often been the case with cover members having parallel edges. Hence removal of the cover member, and refitment thereof, can be achieved relatively quickly and without difficulty.

The form of construction above described, affording ready access for inspection and/or repair, provides a substantial saving in cost of manufacture over previous constructions.

Claims (12)

1. A scraper-chain conveyor, suitable for use in mines, comprising a plurality of pans arranged in end-to-end and generally in-line relationship which provide upper and lower channels for the passage of an end less chain or chains carrying flight bars, each of said pans comprising a deck plate having side members extending along the two longitudinal edge portions thereof and said flight bars when moving along said upper channel having a sliding and scraping action with respect to each said deck plate thereby to be capable of impelling loose material along the deck plate, and certain at least of said deck plates having at least one access opening and a cover member for closing that opening, said cover member being tapered in plan and said opening being of complementary tapered shape to receive the cover member.

2. A conveyor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tapered edges of each opening extend from one side of the respective pan to the other, whereby the respective cover member when fitted is disposed so that its tapered edges extend likewise.

3. A conveyor as claimed in claim 2, wherein that end portion of said cover member, parallel to said axis, of larger width dimension is provided with a pair of bored brackets welded or otherwise secured thereto and the end portion of said cover member, parallel to said axis, of smaller width dimension is provided with at least one projection which upon fitment of said cover member in said opening engages a slot provided in the adjacent said side member on that side of the pan.

4. A conveyor as claimed in claim 3, wherein two of said projections are provided within the thickness of said cover member, each projection being associated with a respective said slot.

5. A conveyor as claimed in claim 4, wherein one said projection is longer than the other to facilitate fitment of the cover member to the deck plate.

6. A conveyor as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 5, wherein when said cover member is fitted in its opening said bored brackets each align with a respective and similar bored bracket welded or otherwise secured to the adjacent said side member on that side of the respective pan.

7. A conveyor as claimed in claim 6, wherein pins are inserted in the bores of each pair of adjacent brackets.

8. A conveyor as claimed in claim 7, wherein said pins are locked in place by linch pins or the like securely to hold the cover member in its fitted condition.

9. A conveyor as claimed in any one of claims 3 to 8, wherein a section of said side member is welded or otherwise secured to the outer edge of said cover member so that when the cover member is in place that section provides full continuity of the respective side member.

10. A conveyor as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein both of said side members of each pan are of sigma-shaped cross-section.

11. A pan suitable for a scraper-chain conveyor and comprising a deck plate having side members extending along the two longitudinal edge portions thereof, said deck plate having at least one access opening and a cover member for closing that opening, said cover member being tapered in plan and said opening being of complementary tapered shape to receive the cover member.

12. A scraper-chain conveyor substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.