GB2420360A

GB2420360A - Mineral winning pick, pick box, and combination

Info

Publication number: GB2420360A
Application number: GB0521675A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Philip Nigel Moore
Original assignee: Esco Hydra UK Ltd
Current assignee: Esco Hydra UK Ltd
Priority date: 2004-11-19
Filing date: 2005-10-25
Publication date: 2006-05-24
Anticipated expiration: 2025-10-25
Also published as: GB0425497D0; GB2420360B; GB0521675D0

Abstract

A mineral cutter pick (1) comprises a shank (2) of generally oblong section having a through hole (18) extending across its side faces, in which through hole (18) is fitted a resilient member (19) itself having a through hole and adapted, in use, after the pick shank (2) has been inserted into a shank-receiving aperture (22) of a pick box (17), to itself receive, and frictionally retain, a manually insertable, and manually removable steel pin (23) having ends projecting beyond the side faces of the shank. The invention also includes a pick box (17) with a through hole (28) also to receive the pin (23), and a pick and box combination.

Description

1 2420360

Title of Invention

Mineral winning pick, pick box, and combination.

Field of Invention

This invention relates to a pick, to a pick box in which is located a shank of a replaceable pick for use in mineral winning operations, and to a combination of pick and box.

Background of the Invention

In GB 1062752 for instance is illustrated a so-called bayonet lock pick, which has been an industry-standard for the last 40 years or so, particularly for the mining of coal. It will be observed that a bayonet lock pick has a shank provided with an acute angled through hole across its side cheeks, in which hole is secured a resilient bush, in which bush is permanently located a metal pin with projecting ends adapted in use, to engage L'-shaped recesses machined into side cheek of a pick box, to releasably latch the pick to the box.

However, the need to machine the L'-slots into both side cheeks of the pick box, the attendant machining costs, and the consequent metal removal from the pick box, result in an inevitable weakening of the pick box, which was, and is, of consequence if the pick is subjected in service to some lateral loading, with the result that cheeks were frequently broken from pick boxes. As the pick boxes are welded around the periphery of a rotary cuffing head of a shearer type or continuous type mining machine, with typically 50-70 picks on a shearer head, breakage of a certain number of boxes can be tolerated before broken boxes must be removed, and replaced by fresh boxes, and if this is not as part of scheduled maintenance, then unscheduled loss of production results.

However, replacement of bayonet lock picks by a simple tool was, and is, an advantage of the bayonet lock tooling system in difficult coal mining conditions, whereas in the winning of other minerals such as potash, the desirability for a simple, screwless means of pick replacement is not as marked.

S Object of the Invention A basic object of the present invention is the provision of an improved pick, pick box and combination, particularly for non-coal mining operations.

Summary of a first aspect of the invention

According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a mineral cutter pick comprising a shank of generally oblong section so as to have shorter leading and trailing faces, and longer side faces and hence to have a longitudinal axis and a transverse axis, an enlarged head formed integrally with the shank and provided at a cutting tip with a carbide insert, with a transition portion between the shank and head incorporating a rear heel and a forward toe, both having under surfaces adapted, in use, to seat on portions of an upper surface of a pick box, wherein the shank has a through hole extending across its side faces, in which through hole is fitted a resilient member itself having a through hole and adapted, in use, after the pick shank has been inserted into a shank-receiving aperture of a pick box, to itself received, and frictionally retain, a manually insertable, and manually removable, metal pin having ends projecting beyond the side faces of the shank.

Summary of the second aspect of the invention

According to the present invention, there is provided a pick box, to receive the shank of a pick in accordance with the first aspect, comprising (i) a pick body adapted, in use, to be secured by welding to a shearer drum or other rotary mineral winning/cutting head; (ii) a generally rectangular aperture adapted, in use, to receive a generally rectangular shank of a pick in accordance with the first aspect; and (iii) a through hole extending across the pick box and adapted to be co- axial with the through hole of the resilient member of the shank of the pick of the first aspect.

Summary of the third aspect of the Invention

According to a third aspect of the invention there is provided, in combination, a pick in accordance with the first aspect, the shank of which is inserted into a pick box in accordance with the second aspect, whilst a metal retaining pin is adapted to be manually inserted into the aligned through hole of the pick box and co-axial through hole of the resilient member when retention of the pick in the pick box is required, and to be manually removed from these aligned holes when removal of a worn or damaged pick (for replacement) from the pick box is required.

Advantages of the Invention With regard to the pick box, the provision of a simple drilled hole significantly reduces box production costs, as the requirement for specialized machine tools and tooling, is eliminated, whilst the production time required to drill an L'-shaped slot in each side cheek of a pick box is likewise eliminated. Also as the conditions prevailing in e.g. a potash mine are less troublesome than a coal mine, operatives are presented with minimal problems in inserting the pins e.g. simply by knocking them in with a hammer, and removing the pins e.g. by knocking them out with a hammer and/or pulling them out with pliers, when pick changing is required.

Preferred or optional features The through holes of both the pick and the pick box, are non-orthogonal with respect to the longitudinal axis.

The through holes of both the pick and the pick box are orthogonal with respect to the longitudinal axis.

The resilient member is of synthetic rubber.

The resilient member is secured into the through hole of the pick shank.

The pin is of steel.

Brief Description of the Drawings

One example of pick, pick box, and combination of pick box and pin are shown in the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a pick in accordance with the first aspect of the invention, with the pin position indicated after the shank has been inserted into a box and the pin knocked into the aligned holes; Figure 2 is a section on the line Il-Il of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a top plan view of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a side elevation of a first embodiment of box in accordance with the second aspect of the invention, fitted with a pick in accordance with the third aspect of the invention, this pick having a pair of spaced- apart, parallel side cheeks extending from its upper surface, to engage side faces of an inserted pick; Figure 5 is a section on the line V-V of Figure 4; Figure 6 is a top plan view of Figure 4 but with the pick removed; and Figures 7, 8 and 9 correspond to Figures 4, 5 and 6 but show a second embodiment of box in accordance with the second aspect, in which box no side cheeks are provided.

Detailed Description of the Drawings

In the drawings, a mineral cutter pick 1 comprises a shank 2 of generally oblong section so as to have shorter leading and trailing faces 3,4, and longer side faces 5 and hence to have a longitudinal axis 6 and a transverse axis 7. An enlarged head 8 is formed integrally with the shank 2 and is provided at a cutting tip 9 with a carbide insert 10. A transition portion 11 between the shank 2 and head 8 incorporates a rear heel 12 and a forward toe 13, both having under surfaces 14 adapted, in use to seat on portions 15 of an upper surface 16 of a pick box 17. The shank 2 has a through hole 18 extending across its side faces 5 with respect to the longitudinal axis 6. The hole 18 is fitted with a resilient member 19 of synthetic rubber secured in place, and itself having a through hole 20 along a non-orthogonal axis 21 and adapted, in use, after the pick shank 2 has been inserted into a shank- receiving aperture 22 of a pick box 17, to itself receive, and frictionally retain, a manually insertable, and manually removable, steel pin 23 having ends 24 projecting beyond the side faces 5 of the shank 2.

The pick box 17, comprises a body 25 having a longitudinal axis 26, and a transverse axis 27. The body 25 is adapted, in use, to be secured by welding to a Is shearer drum or other rotary mineral winning/cutting head (not shown). The aperture 22 is generally rectangular to receive a generally rectangular shank 2 of a pick 1. A non-orthogonal through hole 28 is drilled across the pick box and adapted to be coaxial with the through hole 20 of the resilient member 19 of the shank 2 of the pick 1.

In the embodiment of Figures 4, 5 and 6, the pick box 17 is provided with side cheeks 29, while in the embodiment of Figures 7, 8 and 9, such side cheeks are absent.

In use, the pins 23 are inserted simply by knocking them in with a hammer, and removing by knocking them out with a hammer and/or pulling them out with pliers, when pick changing is required.

Claims

1. A mineral cutter pick comprising a shank of generally oblong section so as to have shorter leading and trailing faces, and longer side faces and hence to have a longitudinal axis and a transverse axis, an enlarged head formed integrally with the shank and provided at a cutting tip with a carbide insert, with a transition portion between the shank and head incorporating a rear heel and a forward toe, both having under surfaces adapted, in use, to seat on portions of an upper surface of a pick box, wherein the shank has a through hole extending across its side faces, in which through hole is fitted a resilient member itself having a through hole and adapted, in use, after the pick shank has been inserted into a shank-receiving aperture of a pick box, to itself received, and frictionally retain, a manually insertable, and manually removable, metal pin having ends projecting beyond the side faces of the shank.

2. A pick as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the through hole is nonorthogonal with respect to the longitudinal axis.

3. A pick as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the through hole is orthogonal with respect to the longitudinal axis.

4. A pick as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the resilient member is of synthetic rubber.

5. A pick as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the resilient member is secured into the through hole of the pick shank.

6. A pick as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the pin is of steel.

7. A mineral cutter pick substantially as herein before described with reference to Figures 1 to 3 of the accompanying drawings.

8. A pick box, to receive the shank of a pick in accordance with any preceding claim, the pick box comprising (i) a pick body adapted, in use, to be secured by welding to a shearer drum or other rotary mineral winning/cuffing head; (ii) a generally rectangular aperture adapted, in use, to receive a generally rectangular shank of a pick in accordance with the first aspect; and (iii) a through hole extending across the pick box and adapted to be co- axial with the through hole of the resilient member of the shank of the pick of the first aspect.

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9. A pick box as claimed in Claim 8, wherein the through hole is nonorthogonal with respect to the longitudinal axis.

10. A pick box as claimed in Claim 8, wherein the through hole is orthogonal with respect to the longitudinal axis.

11. A pick box substantially as herein before described with reference to Figures 4, 5 and 6 of the accompanying drawings.

12. A pick box substantially as herein before described with reference to Figures 7, 8 and 9 of the accompanying drawings.

13. In combination, a pick in accordance with any one of Claims 1 to 7, the shank of which is inserted into a pick box in accordance with any one of Claims 8 to 12, whilst a metal retaining pin is adapted to be manually inserted into the aligned through hole of the pick box and co-axial through hole of the resilient member when retention of the pick in the pick box is required, and to be manually removed from these aligned holes when removal of a worn or damaged pick (for replacement) from the pick box is required.

14. In combination, a pick, and a pick box, substantially as herein before described with reference to Figures 4, 5 and 6 the accompanying drawings.

15. In combination, a pick, and a pick box, substantially as herein before described with reference to Figures 7, 8 and 9 the accompanying drawings.