NZ622547B2 - Duckbill ejector - Google Patents

Abstract

Disclosed is a duckbill pod (100) for a loader. The duckbill pod (100) comprises a tray (10) for transporting goods or material, and at least one pusher plate (50) and a co-operating drive arrangement secured to the pusher plate (50) for driving the pusher plate (50) across the tray (10). The drive arrangement is housed below the tray (10), which has a slot formed therein to permit the drive arrangement to drive the pusher plate (50). arrangement is housed below the tray (10), which has a slot formed therein to permit the drive arrangement to drive the pusher plate (50).

Description

DUCKBILL EJECTOR FIELD OF THE ION The present invention relates to duckbill pods, also referred to as duckbills or ills, of the type used with loaders, most typically on mining sites as a general purpose carrying device in conjunction with load-haul-dump (LHD) loaders.

BACKGROUND OF THE ION There exist a multitude of accessories for loaders, bulldozers and the like that fulfil various purposes. A variety of simple buckets, scoops and so on are used in various contexts for moving als, such as dirt, gravel and the like.

The mining industry in ular has developed a broad range of specialised loader accessories that are used above and below ground as required. These accessories are adapted for tasks required underground, which include not only g and transport of raw materials, but also transport and e of equipment.

Due to the challenges of working underground, especially on low seam heights, low profile wheel s are favoured and built to purpose. As an example, the Eimco brand of wheel loaders is widely used in Australia and elsewhere.

Duckbills are one of the various fabricated loader accessories available, and are favoured for transport of general purpose goods. A duckbill generally consists of a tray of relatively extensive dimensions (for example, 2.5m by 2.5m), side walls, and a back wall in the form of a lifting plate, fitted with QDS (Quick Detach System) or RAS fixtures for g the duckbill to a loader. The loader arms or horns engage with the QDS or similar fixtures formed on the lifting plate to removably secure the duckbill to the loader.

Duckbills have proved useful in general service and their use has been favoured in many contexts beyond which their original design was envisaged.

There accordingly exists a need for improvements to duckbills that at least t to improve their utility for certain tasks, or at least provide a useful alternative to existing constructions. ed 27/03/2013 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The inventive concept resides in a dUckbiII pod having an ejector mechanism, comprising a pusher plate which is .driven by a drive arrangement ‘ below the tray of the duckbill pod. This drive arrangement is thus isolated from the arrying area of the duckbill pod, which avoids interference with operations, and avoids incidental damage to the drive arrangement.

The t invention consequently provides'a duckbillpod having a tray having formed therein a slot which allows a pu‘sher plate to be secured to a drive "arrangement disposedbeneath the tray.

The drive arrangement preferably cbmprises a housing ly that slidingly engages one or more parallel rods ‘arranged in alignment with the slot for directing the'housing ly, and in turn driving the pusher (plate. The drive arrangement is preferably chain-driven by a suitable mechanism. Preferably, the drive arrangement comprises dual idler sprockets mounted on the housing ‘15 assembly, and corresponding drive ets driven by chains mounted on" the ‘co#operating sprockets.

Further features of the present invention-are apparent from the following description of preferred embodimentsof the duckbill pod of the present'invention.

BRIEFDESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS . 20 Fig. 1‘ is a perspective draWing of a duckbill in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention from above, loaded with stacked pallets.

Fig. 2 is a ctive drawing of the duckbill of Fig. 1,- depicted t the stacked pallets.

Fig. 3 is a perspective" drawing of the duckbill of Fig. 1 from its rear.

' ‘ Fig. 4 is a perspective g of the duckbill from below, indicating details A and B. ‘ Fig. 4A is a fragmentary perspective drawing of the detail A indicated in Fig. 4. i Fig. 4B is a fragmentary perspective drawing of the detail B ted in Fig.4.

Fig. 5 is a perspective drawing of a pusher plate forming part of the duckbill of Figs. 110 4.

AMENDED SHEET [PEA/AU Fig. 6 is a perspective drawing of a left hand pusher plate assembly.

Fig. 7 is a perspective drawing of the left hand pusher plate assembly of Fig. 6 , from behind.

Fig. 8 is a ctive drawing of a right hand pusher plate assembly.

Fig. 9 is a perspective drawing of the right hand pusher plate ly of Fig. 8 from behind.

Fig. 10 is a perspective drawing of a pusher housing used in the pusher plate ly as shown in Figs. 6 to 9 .

Fig. 11 is a side elevation of the duckbill of Figs. 1 to 4 .

Fig. 12 is a rear ion of the duckbill of Figs. 1 to 4 .

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Figs. 1 to 4 rate in perspective view from various angles a ll having an ejector mechanism, referred to herein as a ll ejector 100. The ll ejector 100 has a tray 10, which is bounded on three sides by a lifting plate 20 and sidewalls 30.

The tray 10 is rectangular in extent, and is approximately square is shape, and provides a surface for general purpose use, which may lly include resting, storing or transporting any suitable goods or materials. The duckbill ejector 100 is intended for general use on mining sites, above and below ground, for moving goods and material.

The lifting plate 20 is fixed securely along one side or edge of the tray 10, referred to as the rear edge, with adjacent side edges of the tray 10 having the side walls 30 extending upwardly from the tray 10. The side walls 30 are fixed securely to the tray 10 and lifting plate 20, but in other ments may be removably secured to the tray 10, or completely absent.

The duckbill ejector 100 as described is rectangular in extent, and the tray has bounded dimensions inside the lifting plate 20 and sidewalls 30 which are approximately 2.5m by 2.5m. These dimensions are sufficient to accommodate four standard-sized pallets laid in a 2x2 arrangement, as illustrated in Fig. 1. The pallets, as illustrated in Fig. 1, each carry two stacks of goods or material.

The duckbill ejector 100 is engineered to carry approximately 5000kg, owing the structural strength of the tray 10, and lifting plate 20. The duckbill ejector is fabricated using grade 350 steel plates of suitable dimension, and joined using suitable structural welding techniques. While goods or materials can be carried within weight and volume limitations, stacked pallets are a typical d. The tray 10 of the duckbill ejector 100 may in alternative embodiments be provided with an al divider which can be removably positioned between the pusher plates 50, running the length of the tray along its middle, provided to avoid nt pallets from catching upon each other during loading or unloading.

Fig. 2 most clearly shows pusher plates 50 arranged in their typical resting position at the rear of the tray 10, positioned adjacently and parallel to the lifting plate 20. The pusher plates 50 can be actuated selectively and independently such that they move forwards and backwards between the rear edge and front edge of the tray 10.

Fig. 3 shows the rear of the duckbill ejector 100 and more particularly the lifting plate 20. The lifting plate 20 includes a plate 2 1 , strengthened by ribs 22, which extend from the side edges of the lifting plate 20 to bracing plates 23, which are arranged vertically in spaced arrangement around the middle of the lifting plate 20. The bracing plates 23 define edges of the QDS. Extending between the g plates is a flanged pin 24, an angled plate 25 and a securing plate 26. The bracing plates 23, flanged pin 24, angled plate 25 and ng plate 26 are arranged and dimensions to allow a QDS connection with a loader equipped to allow this type of connection.

On the loader (not , llable ng arms extend under the flanged pin 24, between the flanged pin 24 and the angled plate 25, and an engaging member is hydraulically actuated into engagement with the void in the securing plate 26. The duckbill ejector 100 is thus firmly secured and can be carried by the loader using the QDS connection.

As depicted in Fig. 3 , the ide of the tray 10 incorporates voids 12 for accepting lifting tines, such as forklift tines. These voids 12 are formed of square- tubed members and are oriented lengthwise along the tray 10, allowing the duckbill ejector 100 to be lifted and carried by means other than a loader.

As is apparent from Fig. 1, which shows the duckbill ejector 100 loaded with four pallets, the pallets can be selectively d from the duckbill r 100, by actuating the pusher plates 50. Driving the left pusher plate 50 halfway from the rear of the tray 10 to the front of the tray 10 will suffice to eject the front most pallet in the left side of the duckbill ejector 100. The front right pallet can be ejected in the same manner by driving the right pusher plate 50 forward. The top surface of the tray 10 is approximately 150mm from the bottom e of the duckbill r 100. Accordingly, this is the distance the pallet traverses before hitting the ground, assuming that the duckbill ejector 100 is in fact resting on the ground.

After ejecting the front pallets, the rear s are now positioned nt the front edge of the tray 10. These remaining pallets can be subsequently ejected from the tray 10 by driving the pusher plates 50 d to push the pallets from the duckbill ejector 100. The ejected s are in the interim removed from where they have been unloaded, or the loader moved backwards to provide adequate clearance for ejecting the remaining s.

Fig. 5 is an ed perspective view of the pusher plate 50 which forms part of the duckbill ejector 100, and which is seen most clearly in Fig. 2 when installed on the duckbill ejector 100. The pusher plate 50 is constructed of a vertical plate 5 1 , secured to a t-shaped plate 52 along the bottom edge of the al plate 5 1 . Exposed corners of the t-shaped plate 52 are bevelled, as depicted, but may in other embodiments be rounded, for example. The structural integrity of plates 5 1 and 52 is supported by ribs 53 which extend vertically from the t-shaped plate 52, and taper as they extend upwardly along the surface of the vertical plate 5 1 . The central projecting portion of the t-shaped plate 52 has boltholes 54 formed therein for securing the pusher plate 50, as described in further detail below.

Figs. 6 to 9 depicted the pusher plate 50 as part of a greater assembly formed for ing movement of the pusher plate 50 across the tray 10. The assembly illustrated in Figs. 6 to 9 is depicted for the pusher plate 50 on the left hand side of the tray 10, both from the rear and the front (Figs. 6 and 7), and correspondingly for the right hand pusher plate 50 (Figs. 8 and 9). The front facing surface of the vertical plate 5 1 of the pusher plate 50 has secured thereto a rud link 55 which can be used to pull or drag an item onto the duckbill 100, or move it deeper into the tray 10, when retracting the pusher plate 50.

The assemblies depicted both have a pusher plate 50 secured via fasteners secured in its boltholes 54 to a pusher housing 60. The pusher housing slides around rods 62, which act as rails to direct movement of the pusher plates 50. The rods 62 are terminated at their ends by a rod holder 64 located when installed towards the rear of the tray 10, and a chain tensioner t 66, located when led towards the front of the tray 10. The pusher plate 50 and pusher housing 60 can slide along the rods 62, and in use are driven along the rods 62.

Figs. 4A and 4B are fragmentary details of the portions A and B indicated in Fig. 4 . Figs. 4 depict elements of the driving arrangement that drives the pusher plate 50 across the tray 10 during use. As is apparent from Figs. 4 , the pusher plate assembly is secured to the underside of the tray, with the rod holder 64 secured at the rear edge of the underside of the tray 10, and the chain tensioner bracket 66 d at the front edge of the underside of the duckbill ejector 100. The tray 10 has formed therein slots that allow the pusher plate 50 to extend upwardly from the tray 10, and travel across the tray 10 in a linear trajectory d by the rods 62.

The pusher plate 50 is driven via the pusher housing 60. Drive sprockets 7 1 engages dual chains 72, which act on the pusher housing 60. The chains 72 extend the length of the tray el and adjacent to the rods 62. The chains 72 loop around idler sprockets (not shown) located at the front edge of the tray and housed in an idler sprocket tension unit 75, which is secured at the front edge of the tray 10. The idler sprocket tension unit 75 can be adjusted to loosen or tighten the chains 72 via an adjustment bolt ly 76, depicted adjacent the front edge of the tray 10.

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of a pusher housing 60 used to secure the pusher plate 50, and slide over the rods 62.

Figs. 11 and 12 illustrate side and rear elevations of the ll ejector 100. The drive sprockets 7 1 are driven by drive shafts (not shown) originating in hydraulic motors 77. The motors 77 are supplied at both sides of the tray 10, located at the rear of the tray 10, and housed adjacent the lifting plate 20. The motors 77 are suitable make and model suitable for industrial use. The motors are in the preferred embodiment used in conjunction with a gearbox 5:1 to provide a le speed and torque output. The motors controlled via a valve bank assembly 79, which accepts a source of hydraulic pressure via input hoses, and using valve switches, directs the flow of hydraulic pressure via output hoses to the motors 77.

The abovementioned voids 12 depicted in Fig. 12 are oriented lengthwise along the tray 10, in parallel with the rods 62. This orientation differs from the typically orientation on existing duckbills, and is adopted to avoid erence with the rods 62, while minimising the height of the tray 10.

With reference to Fig. 3 , the lower ribs 22 formed against the vertical plate 2 1 of the lifting plate has a recess formed therein to accommodate the motors 77 of either side of the QDS fixture, which are not shown in Fig. 3 .

The valve bank ly 79 can be configured to direct full pressure to either of the motors 77, or to direct the hydraulic pressure to be shared between the motors 77. The input hoses are ively connected to a controllable source of hydraulic pressure, which is in preferred embodiments such a source originating from the loader to which the duckbill ejector 100 is attached. This is conveniently provided by a lic PTO (power take off) supplied via mechanical engine power from the loader, transferred to hydraulic power by a lic pump on the loader. The hydraulic power delivered to the ll ejector 100 can be controlled by an adjustable lever which delivers variable positive or negative pressure to the duckbill ejector 100, which consequently drives one or both of the pusher plates 50, as selected at the valve bank ly 79.

When the ll ejector 100 is secured to the loader, the hoses from the loader are also connected manually to hose inlets at the valve bank assembly 79.

One or both of the pusher plates 50 is selected at the duckbill ejector 100 manipulation of the valve bank assembly. The movement of the selected one or both pusher plates 50 - in both push and pull directions - is thus controlled from the loader via the abovementioned lever capable of delivering variable pressure to the duckbill ejector 100. The lever may use any suitable arrangement to control the hydraulic pump, such as via cable, rod, or onic control.

Various alternative embodiments are possible, as would be apparent to one skilled in the art. As an example, various alternative forms of drive ement could be used to control the pusher plates 50, such as a direct-drive hydraulic rods acting directly on the pusher housings. Also, the arrangement (and number) of pusher plates 50 used to eject or draw goods or material from or onto the duckbill ejector 100 can assume various alternative forms. As an example, side ejection may be used, in which the pusher plates 50 are oriented to move across the tray 10 from side to side rather than from rear to front.

Furthermore, an electric or hydraulically actuated winch may be secured on the duckbill ejector 100 for l purpose use, and may be used to assist g the tray 10 when required. peTIAU20 12/001018 Received 27/0312013

Claims (7)

1. A duckbill pod for a loader, sing a tray for transporting goods or material, and at least one pusher plate and a co-operating drive arrangement secured to the pusher plate for driving the pusher plate 5 across the tray, wherein the drive arrangement is housed below the tray, which has a slot formed therein to permit the drive arrangement to drive the pusher plate..

2. A duckbill pod according to claim 1, wherein the drive arrangement comprises a housing assembly, which slidingly engages one or more rods 10 , that extend b~low the tray in alignment with the slot.

3. A duckbill pod according to anyone of claims 1 or 2, wherein the drive arrangement comprises "at least one set of co-operating idler and drive sprockets on which a chain is mounted.

4. A ll pod according to anyone of claims 1 to 3, n the drive 15 I' arrangement is actuated by an external lic motor, which is driven. by a controllable source of hydraulic pressure.

5. A duckbill pod according to anyone of claims 1 to 4, further comprising side walls extending upwardly from the tray along sides of the tray.

6. A duckbill pod according to anyone of claims 1 to 5, further compriSing a 20 g plate positioned at one end of the tray and secured thereto for lifting the duckbill pod.

7. .A duckbill pod according to anyone of 'claims 1 to 6, compriSing two pusher plates arranged adjacently with corresponding drive arrangements housed below the tray. , ( CUSTOMMINE ENGINEERING PTY LTO WATERMARK PATENT &TRADE IORNEYS P34997PCAU AMENDED SHEET IPEA/AU