GB708042A - Improvements in or relating to dragline excavators - Google Patents

Abstract

708,042. Drag-line excavators. RUSTON-BUCYRUS, Ltd. April 4, 1952 [April 11, 1951], No. 8665/52. Class 68(1) In a framework 14 mounted on a drag line excavator chassis 11, 12, a vertically movable counterweight 23 is supported by a cable 24 which passes about sheaves 25, 26 on the counterweight and framework respectively and the ends of which are so associated with the means for operating the hoist or drag lines 21, 18 that, when either is drawn in, the counterweight descends and the poten- tial energy given up thereby is added to the energy output of the means operating the said drag or hoist lines 21, 18, and vice versa. In one embodiment the cable 24 is so wound on to drums 28, 27 which mesh, respectively with the drag line winch drum 22 and the hoist line winch drum 20 that unwinding of either the hoist or drag lines from the winch drums results in the winding of the cable 24 on the associated drum with a resultant raising of the counterweight. In a second embodiment single two part winch drums replace the separate pairs of associated drums of the first embodiment. In a third embodiment the cable 24 is wound on to a drum coupled by epicyclic gearing to the drums of the hoist or draglines.