OA21057A - Bucket wheel and method for pivoting at least one bucket of a bucket wheel, and bridge bucket wheel device. - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a bucket wheel (1), in particular for the continuous removing of material of a bulk material stockpile, with a fixed inner ring (2), an outer ring (3) rotatable relative to the inner ring, an retaining ring (5) lockable to the outer ring and at least one pivotable bucket (4), wherein the retaining ring, in a locked condition, holds each bucket in an end position abutting the outer ring and, in a condition unlocked from the outer ring, rotation of the outer ring relative to the retaining ring allows pivotal movement of each bucket about its pivot axis (44). Further, the present invention provides a bridge bucket wheel apparatus having a trolley (10) mounted on a bridge and such a bucket wheel, and a method of pivoting at least one bucket of such a bucket wheel.

Description

BUCKET WHEEL AND METHOD FOR PIVOTING AT LEAST ONE BUCKET OF A BUCKET WHEEL, AND BRIDGE BUCKET WHEEL APPARATUS

TECHNICAL AREA

The présent invention relates essentially to a bucket wheel which can be reversed in the direction of rotation and has a mechanism forautomatically pivoting or reversing material pick-up éléments arranged on the bucket wheel in the form of buckets or buckets.

STATE OF THE ART

In many industries, especially in the bulk materials processing industry, the storage and homogenization of different materials as part ofthe material flow process is absolutely necessary. In contrast to the residual storage of bulk materials from production processes, such as in calibration plants, the storage of bulk materials in stockpiles in the bulk materials processing industry forms a safety buffer between the usually discontinuons delivery and the continuons removal of the bulk materials, in order to avoid interrupting a processing process following removal. If there are significant delays in the delivery of the bulk material, the bulk material stored in stockpiles accordingly acts as a safety buffer that can ensure the continuons operation of the relevant plant for a certain, predefined period of time.

In addition to the fonction as a safety buffer, it is also necessary in various industries to also achieve a uniformity or homogenization of the material properties of the stored bulk material at bulk material storage locations. This variant of a storage bin, known as a blending bed, places higher demands on the process flow. For example, the bulk material should be provided for further processing as homogeneousiy mixed as possible with regard to their Chemical and physical properties. This homogenization by mixing is of fundamental importance in determining the quality ofthe bulk material, which is usuallydetermined by stochastically taken samples. The homogenization process can be ensured by the combination of a certain storage process and a certain type of reloading, whereby the bulk material is successîvely stored in layers and, depending on the mining process, portions of individual, severaî or ail layers are reloaded simultaneously. Accordingly, the processing of materials with highly fluctuating properties, as well as the procurement of materials from different sources, requires good homogenization in order to effectiveîy carry out downstream processing. Accordingly, the homogenization of bulk materials is becoming increasîngly important. For bulk material reloading during stockpile mining, conveyor devices in the form of bridge devices with bucket wheeis, so-called bridge bucket wheel devices, are primarily used as bulk material reloading devices in the case of face-side stockpile management. The stockpile is removed by moving the bucket wheel, which is usually mounted on a movable trolley, as permanently as possible. After reaching the respective end of the stockpile or in the case of alternate mining of two stockpiles, the bridge bucket wheel device has i

to change the working direction in order to mine the stockpile that has usually been refilled în the meantime behind the bridge bucket wheel device, which generally results in an intermittent working cycle during stockpile mining. In order to change the working direction of the bridge bucket wheel device and to continue the stockpile mining in the other working direction, the bridge bucket wheel device is moved together with the bucket wheel in the opposite direction after adjusting the thickness of the vertical chip to be removed from the face of the stockpile. For stockpile removal in the opposite direction and the resulting rotation of the bucket wheel in the opposite direction, it is generally necessary to be able to use the buckets in the opposite direction at ail. In order to achieve the most effective reloading possible with this forward and reverse stockpile mining method, conveying equipment with either double-acting or réversible bucket wheels is required.

In the case of conveying equipment with manually swiveling buckets, as has been known in the technical field of stockpile mining for many years in some cases, the buckets for the respective direction of rotation and work are usually first placed in a fixed working position with a fixed angle of attack and temporarily fixed in this position, whereby the necessary unlocking, foiding over and locking of the buckets is often carried out by manual access by the operating personnel. Apartfrom the large loads to be handled by the buckets, such access by the operating personnel involves a high risk of accidents, since the foiding movement of the buckets is essentially uncontrolled due to their high dead weight and thus poses a great risk to the operating personnel. Apart from this, the time required by the operating personnel to manually reposition ail the buckets arranged on the bucket wheel circumference is high; depending on the bucket wheel diameter, manual repositioning can lead to a plant standstill and production downtime of up to 810 hours. In addition, this can resuit in damage to the overall structure due to improper access, leading to a complété breakdown of the conveyor for several days due to maintenance. Finally, the need for manual changeover of the buckets prevents automation of the overall process of stockpile management, which is more and more demanded in recent years.

In order to avoid the problems of manually repositioning buckets, various concepts for automatically repositioning buckets of a bucket wheel hâve already been presented in the past. For example, DE 10 2011015247 A1 describes an automatic device for automatically repositionable bucket wheels, in which the bucket wheel is equipped with repositionabîe buckets on its circumference and a repositioning process ofthe buckets is implemented by a first fixed link, which is located in the upper area ofthe bucket wheel. The respective bucket is guided past the first link by the rotation of the bucket wheel, and a tilting pin located on the side wall of the bucket runs into the first link, and the positive guidance of the tilting pin causes the bucket to rotate about a fixed pivot axis. A second cam link below the first cam link is also used, in conjunction with a locking pin, to lock the respective bucket in one of the two end positions or to release it from this position, Both cam splitters are mounted on a carriage which can be moved IateraIly for each bucket relative to the support frame of the bucket wheel to enable the device to intervene temporarily for each bucket wheel. With this already known solution, however, it is to be regarded as disadvantageous that the individual buckets are folded over one after the other by the cam mechanism, whereby a Processing of the folding over of ail buckets one after the other also takes a long time in total again, during which the operation of the bucket wheel is interrupted. Furthermore, in addition to the high wear ofthe link components and the pins caused by the forced guidance, there is also a high risk of blockage of each folding process, since, for example, even slight contamination ofthe links and/orthetilting pins can lead to the pins getting stuck in the respective link guide. It is thus the object of the présent invention to propose a solution for providing a robust bucket wheel with a reliable automatic bucket swing mechanism.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The above-mentioned problem of the invention is solved by a bucket wheel, and in particular by a bucket wheel for continuous mining of material of a bulk material stockpile. The bucket wheel according to the invention, which can also be referred to as a part of a technical device consisting of a large wheel on the outer edge of which buckets are mounted, has, among other things, a fixed inner ring. The fixed or non-rotating inner ring, which can also be understood as a nonrotating annular inner component ofthe bucket wheel, is thereby an anchored component ofthe bucket wheel that does not ailow its own rotational movement. Furthermore, the bucket wheel according to the invention has an outer ring which can rotate relative to the inner ring and which can rotate relative to the inner ring and is also to be understood as an annular outer component ofthe bucket wheel. Accordingly, a rotation ofthe bucketwheel can be understood as a rotation of the outer ring relative to the fixed inner ring.

As previously described in excerpts, the présent invention further provides, according to a further aspect, a method for pivoting at least one bucket of a bucket wheel as previously described. The method according to the invention, which explicitly deals with the swiveling of a bucket or also the plurality of buckets of the bucket wheel according to the invention, i.e. an operation which is different from the usual working routine of the bucket wheel during the picking up and dîscharging of bulk material, comprises in a first rotational or working direction of the bucket wheel, a step of locking the retaining ring of the bucket wheel, preferably by means of the locking device described above, this locking being able to take place, depending on the position of the bucket wheel, before carrying out the bucket pivoting at the next bucket wheel stop in the working direction. Furthermore, the method according to the invention comprises releasing the locking between the setting ring and the outer ring by rotating the outer ring relative to the locked setting ring and relative to the fixed inner ring in a first direction of rotation when the setting ring is locked.

This causes the setting ring to move independently of a movement of the outer ring or can also be held in place. For example, when locking the separable connection between the setting ring and the outer ring, unlockîng or releasing the locking can be achieved by a combination of a preloaded locking boit and a recess provided in the setting ring correspondingly for this purpose, by overcoming the pretension of the locking boit pressed into the recess, for example by a compression spring, and correspondingly compressing the compression spring so that the locking boit leaves the first recess provided for this purpose and the locking of the setting ring and the outer ring is thus released. Due to the continuous rotation of the bucket wheel and the locking of the setting ring, a relative movement of setting ring to outer ring takes place accordingly, whereby the locking boit is overcome and a rotation lock of the bucket guide arms is released.

Features prevîously described with respect to one embodiment of the bucket wheel can also be used, mutatis mutandis, to define the use according to the invention and to define the method according to the invention, and are hereby also expressly disclosed as features of use and/or method. The same applies in the other direction, so that features disclosed only for the use or method can also be used to define the bucket wheel according to the invention.

As possibly used herein and also in the appended claims, the singular forms a, one and the” may also include the plural thereof, unless the context clearly dictâtes otherwise. Similarly, the words include, containing, and having are to be understood as both exclusive and nonexclusive, i.e., in the sense of including, but not limited to.... The terms several, multiple or plurality usually refer to two or more, Le., 2 or )2, including further integer multiples of 1. The terms single” or alone refer to one (1), Le., =1. Furthermore, the phrase at least one or at least one shall be understood as one or more, Le., 1 or >1, also including integer multiples. In addition, the words herein, above, before and below or hereafter and words of similar meaning, when used in this description, are intended to refer to this description as a whole and not to spécifie parts of the description. In addition, the terms approximately, about,” or circa are used to mean an amount that is approximately or nearly equal to the value that follows, with a maximum variation of -1% to 5%. These terms are used to refer to an équivalent quantity in the vicinity ofthe value mentioned.

In addition, certain terms are used for convenience and are not intended to limit the invention. For example, the terms right, left, up, down, and up may thereby refer to corresponding directions or positions in the figures used or their descriptions. The terminology used herein includes both the explicitly mentioned terms and their dérivatives and terms with similar meanings. Spatially relative terms such as below, above, proximal, distal and the like may also be used to describe the relationship of an element or component to another element or component. Such spatially relative terms may include various other positions and orientations of the éléments or components in use or operation, in addition to the position and orientation shown in the figures. For example, when a device is viewed upside down in the figures, éléments described as being below or underneath other éléments or components would then be positioned above or over those other éléments or components. The devices may also be oriented differently in space, such as rotated 90^e or oriented differently as well, and the spatially relative terms used herein are to be interpreted accordingly. Simîlarly, the description of movements along or about different axes includes different spécifie component positions and orientations.

The description of spécifie embodiments herein is not întended to be exhaustive, or to limit the disclosure provided herein to the exact form disclosed. While spécifie embodiments and examples of the disclosure described herein are for illustrative purposes, various équivalent modifications are possible within the scope of protection of the disclosure as would be apparent by one skilled in the présent technical field. Spécifie technical éléments of described embodiments may be combined for or substituted for technical éléments in other embodiments. In the drawings, like reference signs dénoté like éléments to avoid répétition, and parts that can be implemented by one skilled in the art without spécial knowledge may be omitted for clarity. Where a figure contains reference signs for clarification which are not explained in the part of the description associated with that figure, reference is made to preceding or subséquent description sections. While advantages associated with particular embodiments of the disclosure are described in connection with those embodiments, other embodiments may also hâve those advantages.

The following embodiments are întended to illustratevarious possible modifications ofthe présent invention. As such, any spécifie technical details, as also discussed below, are not to be construed as limitations on the scope of the présent invention. Descriptions of ’embodiment(s)' which do not fall within the scope of the appended claims are merely possible exemplary embodiments and are therefore not to be considered as part of the présent invention. It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various variations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of protection of the présent application as defined by the appended claims. Further aspects and advantages of the présent invention will be apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiments shown in the figures.

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Figure 1 a schematic view of a trolley with a bucket whee! accordîng to a preferred embodiment of the present invention in a perspective view;

Figure 2 an exploded perspective view of the trolley with bucket wheel shown in Figure 1 ;

Figure 3 a side view of the trolley with bucket wheel shown in Figures 1 and 2, with the buckets of the bucket wheel in both end positions;

Figure 4 a detailed view of a bucket on the bucket wheel in a first end position;

Figure 5 a sectional view of a guide arm outer ring connection along a line A-A in Figure 4;

Figure 6 a sectional view along a line B-B in Figure 5 with the bucket in an end position in the locked state;

Figure 7 a sectional view along a line B-B in Figure 5 with the bucket between two end positions in an unlocked State;

Figures 8a - 8d a portion of the bucket wheel shown in Figures 1 to 3 with an exemplary bucket (a) in a first end position, (b) in a position pivoted away from the first end position, (c) in a position pivoted further away from the first end position, and (d) in a second end position;

Figure 9 a detailed view of an elongated hole guide pin combination of a bucket on a bucket wheel in a second end position in a locked and in an unlocked state of the bucket; and

Figure 10 a detailed perspective view of a bucket of the bucket wheel accordîng to the preferred embodiment of the present invention.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

Trolley

101 Trolley Boom bucket wheel

Rotation axis i center axis

Innerring

Inner ring outer circumference / ring chute

Inner ring circumference

Through hole / feed chute

Outer ring

Outer ring fork or eyelet or outer ring eyelet

Through hole / annuius

Outer ring circumference

331 Recess in outer ring circumference

Outer ring inner circumference

Locking / locking boit

351 Tip of locking boit

Pressure spring

Bucket

4A first bucket end position

4B second bucket end position

Bucket bottom

Bucket side part

Guide arm ! bucket lever

431 Chamfering of the guide arm

Swivel axis

Displacement boit

Guide pin

Retaining ring

Retaining ring eye i fork eye

511 Oblong hole

Recess for locking boit

Actuator

531 Recess

532 Support surface

533 Actuator sliding plate

Retaining ring stop

Locking device

Locking pin

Two-piece sleeve with anti-rotation device

Dispiacement device/sliding plate

PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION

In the following description, a bucket wheel of a bridge bucket wheel device according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is described, as well as a related method for pivoting at least one bucket of the bucket wheel according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 shows a bucket wheel 1 of a bridge bucket wheel device according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention, which is mounted on a trolley 10 of the bridge bucket wheel device. Figure 2 shows the trolley 10 shown in Figure 1 with the bucket wheel 1 in an exploded view. The trolley 10 has four booms 101 connected to each other. The bucket wheel 1 mounted on the trolley 10 consists essentially of an inner ring 2 fixedly connected to the booms 101 ofthe trolley 10, an outer ring 3 rotatably arranged externally on the inner ring 2, eight buckets 4 pivotally mounted on the outer ring 3, and two retaining rings 5 operatively connected to the buckets 4. Each bucket 4 is pivotally connected to the outer ring 3 via pivot axles 44 and to each retaining ring 5 via a slotted guide pin combination, which will be described in more detail later. Each retaining ring 5 of the two retaining rings 5 is arranged, as can be seen in Figures 1 and 2, at an axial edge or at a latéral edge ofthe outer ring 3 with respect to a central or rotational axis 11 of the impeller 1, so that the plurality of buckets 4 is arranged between the two retaining rings 5 and connected thereto in each case. The number 8 for the number of buckets 4 is to be understood here only by way of example and may also be smaller or larger, depending, among other things, on the size of the bucket wheel 1.

In the present embodiment, a drive of the bucket wheel 1 for its rotation about its central or rotational axis 11 is implemented, for example, by a (not shown) gear drive, the (not shown) pinion of which can roll off onto a larger drive ring (not shown) attached to the outer ring 3, for example. Alternatively, a pinion drive can also be provided. The outer ring 3 can thereby be rotated with respect to the inner ring 2, the relative movement between the outer ring 3 and the inner ring 2 being implemented, for example, by a rolling bearing (not shown) arranged therebetween, for exemple, a bail slewing ring, a track roller rolling bearing or the like. As can be seen from Figures 5 to 7, among others, the buckets 4 ofthe bucketwheel 1 are fixedly connected to the outer ring 3 via the pivot axis 44, the pivot axis 44 being provided by a so-called displacement boit 45. Each bucket 4 consists of a bucket bottom 41 arranged externally from the rotation axis 11 of the bucket wheel 1 and two side parts 42, which are arranged on opposite sides of the bucket bottom 41. Each bucket side part42 merges at an outer side ofthe bucket 4 into a so-called guide arm 43, which acts as a lever for pivoting the respective bucket 4, i.e. as a bucket lever. The guide arm 43, which can be a component separate from the bucket 4 and which is to be attached to each bucket side part 42 accordingly, thus represents a branching or bifurcation of the bucket side part 42. The branching of the guide arm 43 from the bucket side part 42 and the connections of guide arm 43 and retaining ring 5 or of the corresponding bucket side part 42 and the outer ring 3 can also be taken from Figure 5 in a corresponding sectional view. Each bucket side part 42 is connected to the outer ring 3 via the respective displacement boit 45, and more precisely to an outer ring fork 31 ofthe outer ring 3, which is formed to project radiaily outwards from the outer ring 3. The displacement boit 45 can thereby be connected to the respective bucket side part 42 by a screw connection or the like, and the displacement boit 45 is rotatably mounted in a corresponding recess in the outer ring fork 31, for example via a plain bearing! but can alternatively also be rotatably mounted in a different manner. Each guide arm 43 has a guide pin 46 which is connected to the guide arm 43 and thereby also to the corresponding bucket side part 42. The guide pin 43 can be connected to the guide arm 43, for example, by an interférence fit or a clamp connection and serves to guide or effect a pivoting movement of the bucket 4 about the pivot axis 44. For this purpose, a free end of the guide pin 43 is arranged in a continuous elongated hole 511 in a retaining ring eyelet or retaining ring fork eyelet 51 and is guided therein. A movement ofthe guide pin 43 in the elongated hole 511 and the corresponding pivoting movement of the bucket 4 are described in more detail later. The bucket bottom 41 and the two side parts 42 of the bucket 4 delimit a receiving interior of the bucket 4, with which bulk materiat can be received. As shown in Figure 2, the bucket bottom 41 together with the two side parts 42 at least partially cover a through hole 32 provided for each bucket 4 in the outer ring 3, which is also referred to as annuiar space 32 and which extends from an outer side ofthe outer ring 3 to an inner side ofthe outer ring 3, thus connecting an outer circumference 33 ofthe outer ring 3 extending outwardly from the axis of rotation 11 ofthe bucket wheel 1 with an inner circumference 34 of the outer ring 3 extending inwardly from the axis of rotation 11 of the bucket wheel 1. In the preferred embodiment described herein, an outer circumference 21 ofthe inner ring 2 extending outwardly from the axis of rotation 11 ofthe bucket wheel 1 substantially forms a bottom of the respective outer ring annuiar space 32, so that bulk material picked up by the associated bucket 4, which is located both in the outer ring annuiar space 32 and in the receiving inner space spanned by the bucket 4, can be conveyed upwards along the outer circumference 21 of the inner ring 2, the so-called ring chute, during a rotation of the bucket wheel 4 by the gearwheel or pinion drive. This bulk material conveyance resulting from the rotation of the bucket wheel 4 leads to a transport of the bulk material to an inner ring through hole 23 provided at the upper side ofthe inner ring 2 shown in Figures 1 and 2, also referred to as feed chute 23, through which the picked up bulk material is conveyed into the interior ofthe inner ring 2, i.e. from the inner ring outer circumference 21 to an inner ring inner circumference 22 and further in the direction of the rotation axis 11 of the bucket wheel 1. In the present case, this is done by dropping the bulk material from the receiving inner space spanned by the corresponding bucket 4 and the corresponding annuiar space 32 into the interior of the inner ring 2 through the feed chute 23 after it has been conveyed to the top of the inner ring 2 when the annuiar space 32 positioned correspondingly at the top of the bucket wheel 1 and the feed chute 23 positioned permanently at the top of the inner ring 2 overlap, thus temporarily forming a common through hole 23, 32 through the bucket wheel 1 as a whole. In the interior of the inner ring 2, the dropped bulk material is picked up, for example, by a (not shown) conveyor belt or by a (not shown) belt conveyor and conveyed away relative to the trolley 1. Accordingly, a steady conveyance ofthe bulk material through the bucketwheel 1 takes place by this structure.

In the present représentation in Figures 1 and 2, a bulk material receiving side of the bucket wheel 1 caused by the position of the buckets 4 is arranged on the right side of the two représentations. Accordingly, the bucket wheel 1 must be moved counterclockwise to pîck up bulk material, see also Figure 3. In Figure 3, the bucket wheel 1 can be seen in a représentation shown from the side. In this représentation, the buckets 4 are shown in a first bucket end position 4A with a solid line and in a second bucket end position 4B with a dashed or faded line. The first end position 4A ofthe buckets 4 represents a position ofthe buckets 4 in which a first end ofthe buckets 4 rests against and is in close contact with the outer periphery 33 ofthe outer ring 3, The second end position 4B represents a position of the buckets 4 in which a second end of the buckets 4 rests on and is in close contactwith the outer circumference 33 ofthe outer ring 3. In this case, the second end of the buckets 4 is an end opposite to the first end of the buckets 4, both ends being substantially defined by a corresponding end of the bucket base 41. The second end position 4B of the buckets 4 represents an end position opposite to the first end position 4A of the buckets 4, the pivoting movement of the buckets 4 from the first end position 4A to the second end position 4B, and vice versa, being limited by an impact ofthe buckets 4 on the outer ring 3 on each side. The pivoting movement of the buckets 4 thus assumes a maximum pivoting range from the end position 4A, 4B of the respective bucket 4 abutting the outer ring 3 to the opposite end position of the respective bucket 4 also abutting the outer ring 3, which in the present embodiment may cover 118.5°, for example. Accordingly, in the first end position 4A, the buckets 4 of the bucket wheel 1 can pick up or scoop up bulk material in a first counterclockwise working direction of the bucket wheel 1 in Figure 3. In contrast, in the second end position 4B, the buckets 4 of the bucket wheel 1 can pick up or scoop up bulk material in a second working direction of the bucket wheel 1 counterclockwise to the first working direction in Figure 3.

A pivoting movement of an exemplary bucket 4 from one end position to the other end position is illustrated in Figures 8a to 8d, where Figure 8a showsthe positioning ofthe bucket4 in thefirst end position 4A, and in which the setting ring 5 îs fixed. The arrows in Figures 8a to 8d represent relative movements of the setting ring 5 with respect to the outer ring 3, of the outer ring 3 with respect to the setting ring 5, and of the bucket 4 with respect to both the outer ring 3 and the setting ring 5. By rotating the outer ring 3 counterclockwise and with the setting ring 5 fixed, the bucket 4 ts thereby automatîcally pivoted about the pivot axis 44 clockwise in the direction of the second end position 4B. A displacement device 7 is thereby provided between the setting ring 5 and the outer ring 3 in order to enable displacement or movement ofthe setting ring 5 relative to the outer ring 3 and vice versa, see also Figures 6 and 7. Such a displacement device 7 is provided in the presently described embodiment in the form of sliding plates 7, which are arranged sequentially between the setting ring 5 and the outer ring 3, and which are made of wear-resistant sliding plastic. The bucket 4 straightens accordingly during this relative movement, as shown in Figure 8b. As the outer ring 3 continues to rotate, the bucket 4 continues to pivot about the pivot axis 44 in a clockwise direction toward the second end position 4B, and the bucket 4 lowers toward the outer ring outer circumference 33. As the outer ring 3 continues to rotate against the fixed retaining ring 5, the bucket 4 continues to rotate clockwise about the pivot axis 44 until the bucket 4 has assumed the second end position 4B, as shown in Figure 8d. In this position, the clockwise rotation of the outer ring 3 is stopped, the bucket 4 is fixed, and the retaining ring 5 is released again so that the bucket wheel 1 can subsequently be rotated in the opposite working direction.

lü

Also shown in Figures 1 and 2 are two pairs of locking devices 6, one of each of which is attached to one ofthe booms 101 of the trolley 10 and is in fixed connection therewith and thus with the inner ring 2, which isfixedly connected to the trolley 10 via its boom 101. In the illustration shown in Figure 10, a mating pair ofthe locking devices 6 is shown in a plan view. Each locking device 6 serves to lock one ofthe two retaining rings 5 orto fixthe latter, whereby the respective retaining ring 5 is held against its rotation, i.e. its rotation relative to the outer ring 3 can be prevented in an unlocked State of outer ring 3 and retaining ring 5 relative to each other, as is caused, for example, in the case of a co-rotation of the retaining ring 5 triggered by a rotational movement of the outer ring 3. Accordingly, a locking device 6 can be used to hold the associated setting ring 5 in place while the outer ring 3 can continue to rotate without the setting ring 5 being moved along by the rotation ofthe outer ring 3, In the preferred embodiment described here, each locking device 6 consists of a locking pin 61, which is designed as a locking mandrel guided in a sleeve 62 and driven by a hydraulic cylinder or the like, and which, by virtue of its suspension on a corresponding boom 101 ofthe trolley 10, is in fixed connection with the fixed inner ring 2 likewise connected to the boom 101. Accordingly, each locking device 6 represents a component that is firmly anohored to the trolley 10 and is arranged in a fixed position with respect to the fixed inner ring 2. The locking pin 61 is designed in such a way that it can corne into contact with a stop 54 provîded on the retaining ring 5, i.e. an retaining ring stop 54 provîded, for example, in the form of a projection on the retaining ring 5 in intégral material connection therewith, whereby it locks the respective retaining ring 5 în a spécifie position.

In the present embodiment with two set collars 5, set collar stops 54 are accordingly provîded in pairs on each of the two set collars 5, the position of which corresponds to one another. Such a set coliar stop 54 serves as a locking pin counterpart and can be provîded at a single point on the set collar 5. Alternatively, such a retaining ring stop 54 may be provîded at a plurality of locations on the retaining ring 5 so that, in order to lock each retaining ring 5, the bucket wheel 1 does not hâve to perform excessive rotational movements if locking of the retaining rings 5 is to be performed. Instead, the bucket wheel 1 only has to rotate until the locking pin 61 of a locking device 6 is opposite the next setting ring stop 54. A combination of a locking pin 61 per locking device 6 and a corresponding setting ring stop 54, as previously described, can be provîded at each latéral side edge of the setting ring 5, so that a corresponding pair of locking pins 61 and setting ring stops 54 can be arranged at a common height on each latéral side ofthe setting ring 5, depending on the position ofthe setting ring 5, resulting in simultaneous locking ofthe setting rings 5 on both sides. The actuation ofthe locking pin 61, i.e. its movement in order to bring the locking pin 61 into contact with the retaining ring stop 54 or to separate the locking pin 61 from the retaining ring stop 54 again, in the simplest case i.e. in order to press the locking pin 61 forwards against the retaining ring stop 54 or to pull it backwards away from the retaining ring stop 54, is effected by the hydraulic cylinder. The hydraulic cylinder, which acts like an axial actuator, is in direct operative connection with the locking boit 61 to cause its forward and backward movement.

As can be seen from Figures 4, 6 and 7, among others, a device for iocking each setting ring 5 to the outer ring 3 is located below the outer ring outer circumference 33, in particular within a recess 331 directed inwards towards the axis of rotation 11, in which a locking boit 35 biased by a compression spring 36 îs arranged in such a way that its outwardly directed tip 351 would Project compfetely outwards from the outer ring outer circumference 33 in the less biased State, In this regard, in Figure 6 the bucket 4 is shown in a second end position 4B, and in Figure 7 the bucket 4 is shown in a central position between the two end positions 4A and 4B, which is also centrally located between the positions shown in Figures 8b and 8c. The tip 351 of the locking boit 35, which is fixedly connected to the outer ring 3, enters into both frictionai and positive engagement with a corresponding recess 52 of two recesses 52 in an end position State shown in Figures 4 and 6 în which the outer ring 3 is locked to the corresponding retaining ring 5. This ensures that each retaining ring 5 and the outer ring 3 rotate together in the worktng direction of the bucket wheel 1 when locked together, while each retaining ring 5 can be moved or even held in a State unlocked from the outer ring 3 independently of any movement of the outer ring 3. Accordingly, locking ofthe separable connection between each retaining ring 5 and the outer ring 3 is performed by a combination of the locking boit 35 mechanically biased by the compression spring 36 and the recess 52 provided in the retaining ring 5 correspondingly for this purpose. The tip 351 of the locking boit 35 is thus pressed by its pretension into the recess 52 provided for this purpose, as shown in Figure 6, so that the locking boit tip 351 pressed into the recess 52 locks or connects the setting ring 5 to the outer ring 3 in a form-fit and force-fit manner in the manner of a wedge connection. Two recesses 52 are provided for each bucket 4 and thusfor each locking boit 35, one recess 52 being provided for locking between outer ring 3 and setting ring 5 in the first end position 4A, and the other recess 52 being provided for locking between outer ring 3 and setting ring 5 in the second end position 4B. In the embodiment described herein, the recesses 52 are provided in an actuator 53 which is a corresponding part of the setting ring 5 and which is integraIly formed with the setting ring 5. Each locking boit tip 351 and each corresponding recess 52 exhibits a substantially V-shaped configuration in cross-section as shown in Figures 6 and 7, such that the substantially V-shaped tip 351 of the locking boit 35 can slide into the correspondingly formed V-shaped or groove-shaped recess 52 upon movement ofthe outer ring 3 relative to the retaining ring 5. Likewîse, the locking between the setting ring 5 and the outer ring 3 created by this can be overcome when the outer ring 3 continues to rotate relative to the setting ring 5, in that the locking boit tip 351 can be guided out of the recess 52 against the compressive force ofthe compression spring 36 by the charnier ofthe V-shape ofthe recess 52, so that the compression spring 36 is compressed until the locking boit tip 351 has left the recess 52. As a resuit, the locking of retaining ring 5 and outer ring 3 is reieased, allowing retaining ring and outer ring 3 to be moved independently of each other. The locking boit 35 as well as the groove-shaped recess 52 are designed here in particular in a 45° design, so that a middle position is generally forced between these two associated éléments. A self-adjusting escapement is created, whereby the locking boit 35 can self-adjust steplessly through the slightîy offset Vshaped recess 52, depending on how strongly the adjacent escapement or the guide pin 46 is already closed.

As can be seen from Figures 6 and 7, among others, the actuator 53, which is provided as an intégral part of each control ring 5 for each bucket 4, further has, in addition to the two recesses 52, a recess 531 on the side opposite to the recesses 52, i.e. on the surface of the actuator 53 extending outwardly from the axis of rotation 11. The recess 531 is provided to leave sufficient space for the movement of the guide pin 46 in the elongated hole 511 as well as for the part of the guide arm 43 surrounding the guide pin during the pivoting movement of the bucket 4, so that neither guide arm 43 nor guide pin 46 are hindered from a full movement of the guide pin 46 in the elongated hole 511, see also Figure 7, in which the movement of the guide pin 46 reaches its lowest and thus closest point to the axis of rotation 11 ofthe bucket wheel 1. The actuator 53 also has, in addition to the recess 531 on the surface of the actuator 53 extending outwardly from the axis of rotation 11, beveled bearing surfaces 532 on both sides ofthe recess 531 as a means of preventing rotation ofthe associated bucket 4, which may be provided, for example, with an actuator sliding plate or the like. Prior to the forced relative movement of the bucket 4, exemplified here, as described above, the latter is locked in one of the end positions 4A, 4B in that the actuator 53, and more precisely the correspondîng bearing surface 532, is inserted under a chamfer 431 of the guide arm 43, which is formed on both sides of the guide arm 43 at its région near the guide pin 46, running towards the guide pin 46. By the bearing surface 532 with the described beveî and its insertion under the bevel 431 of the guide arm 43, a pressure force is generated upwards away from the axis of rotation, by which, depending on the embodiment, either (a) the guide pin 46 in the elongated hole 511 is pressed against the upper edge of the elongated hole 511, or (b) the bucket 4 rtself is pressed against the outer circumference 33 ofthe outer ring 3. In Figure 9, the latter forced or end position of the bucket 4 relative to the retaining ring 5 is shown, as well as an upwardly pressed inhibition position of the guide arm 46 and the guide pin 46 shown by a dashed line. The contact surface between the bearing surface and the chamfer 431 forms an active connection in the sense of a self-locking wedge with respect to the direction of movement of the setting ring 5, whereby the self-locking is generated by the résistance generated by friction against the displacement of the two éléments of the setting element 53 and the guide arm 43, which move in opposite directions to one another.

The subséquent relative movement between the retaining rings 5 and the outer ring 3 forced by the rotation of the outer ring 3, as can be seen for example in Figures 8a to 8d, therefore first unlocks the previously described inhibition of the buckets 4 by the actuators 53 in a first step as shown in Figure 8a. In this case, the actuator 53 is pulled out from underneath the respective guide arm 43 and the pivot axis 44 is thereby disinhibited. During the further rotation of the outer ring 3 with the setting rings 5 fïxed, ail buckets 4 subsequently pivot simultaneously on the circumference of the bucket wheel 1 by the displacement of the guide arms 43 from one end position to the other end position, the setting ring 5 guiding the guide pin 46 via the elongated hole 511 in such a way thatthe pivoting movement ofthe buckets4 is thereby guided, see Figures 8a to 8d. When the end position to be reached is finally reached, as shown in Figure 8d, ail buckets 4 are again in contact with the bucket wheel 1 or the outer ring 3 of the bucket wheel 1. Subsequently, as the outer ring 3 continues to rotate, a renewed locking between the setting ring 5 and the outer ring 3 is effected by the locking boit 35 being pressed by its bias into the other recess 52, so that the locking boit 35 pressed into the second recess 52 holds the setting ring 5 in place in a forceHocking and form-locking manner by the combination ofthe locking boit 35 and the recess 52 and connects the setting ring 5 to the outer ring 3. After the end of the swiveling process, ail buckets 4 can be fixed again in their new end positions by means ofthe escapement already described. Subsequently, the locking ofthe setting ring 5 can be released again and the working routine in the opposite direction is continued. Previously, a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described, but the présent invention is not limited to the preferred embodiment previously described. Various modifications in the embodiment may be made without departing from the invention as given in the scope ofthe foîlowing claims.

Claims (15)

1. A bucket wheel (1), in particular for the continuous removing of material of a bulk material stockpile, comprising a fixed inner ring (2), an outer ring (3) rotatable relative to the inner ring (2), and at least one bucket (4) pivotally connected to the outer ring (3) via a fixed pivot axis (44), characterized in that the bucket wheel (1) further comprises at least one retaining ring (5), which is separably connected to the outer ring (3) by a lock, wherein each bucket (4) comprises a guide pin (46) and the retaining ring (5) comprises an elongated hole (511) for each bucket (4) or each bucket comprises an elongated hole and the retaining ring comprises a guide pin for each bucket, wherein the guide pin (46) is guided in the elongated hole (511), the retaining ring (5), in a state locked to the outer ring (3), holds each bucket (4) in a first end position (4A) abuttîng the outer ring (3) or in a second end position (4B) opposite the first end position (4A) and abutting the outer ring (3) and in a state of the setting ring (5) unlocked from the outer ring (3), a rotation of the outer ring (3) relative to the setting ring (5) allows a pivoting movement of each bucket (4) about the pivot axis (44) into one of the two end positions (4A, 4B) guided by the guide pin (46) in the elongated hole (511).

2. The bucket wheel (1) according to claim 1, wherein the locking of the separable connection between retaining ring (5) and outer ring (3) is implemented by a positive and/or a non-positive connection, preferably wherein the locking of the separable connection between retaining ring (5) and outer ring (3) is implemented by a combination of a preloaded locking boit (35), preferably preloaded by a compression spring (36), and at least one recess (52) provided in the retaining ring (5) corresponding thereto, wherein further preferably two recesses (52) are provided in the retaining ring (5), each corresponding to one of the two bucket end positions (4A, 4B).

3. The bucket wheel (1) according to claim 2, wherein on a plurality of buckets (1) of the bucket wheel (1), preferably on each bucket (1), a preloaded locking boit (35) and two recesses (52) are provided in the retaining ring (5), each corresponding to one of the two bucket end positions.

4. The bucketwheel (1) according to one ofthe preceding claims, wherein the retaining ring (5) is locked in the state unlocked from the outer ring (3) by a locking device (6), preferably wherein the locking device (6) secures the retaining ring (5) against co-rotation of the retaining ring (5) triggered by a rotary movement of the outer ring (3).

5. The bucket wheel (1) according to claim 4, wherein the locking device (6) comprises a locking pin (61) which is connected to the fixed inner ring (2), and wherein the locking pin (61) is arranged to corne into contact with a stop (54) provided on the retaining ring (5), preferably wherein furthermore an actuator, in particular with a hydraulic cylinder, îs provided, which is in operative connection with the locking boit (61) in order to move the locking boit (61) towards and away from the stop (54).

6. The bucket wheel (1) according to claim 4 or 5, wherein a movement ofthe outer ring (3) relative to the locked retaining ring (5) causes a release of the locking of the separable connection between retaining ring (5) and outer ring (3).

7. The bucket wheel (1) according to any one of claims 4 to 6, wherein the bucket wheel (1) further comprises at least one monitoring unit which detects a position of the outer ring (3) relative to the retaining ring (5), based on the détection resuit of which the locking of the retaining ring (5) can be effected and/or released, preferably wherein the monitoring unit comprises a proximity sensor and/or an incrémental encoder of a drive of the bucket wheel (1).

8. The bucket wheel (1) according to one ofthe preceding claims, wherein the retaining ring (5) is arranged on a circumference of the outer ring (3); the elongated hole (511) is arranged outside the circumference of the outer ring (3); a displacement device (7) îs provided between retaining ring (5) and outer ring (3), preferably in the form of sequentially arranged sliding plates (7) or a continuous siiding ring; and/or a guidance of the alternate pivoting movement of each bucket (4) about its pivot axis (44) is ensured by a movement of its guide pin (46) in the corresponding elongated hole (511).

9. The bucket wheel (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the pivot axis (44) of each bucket (4), starting from an axis of rotation (11) ofthe bucket wheel (1) and extending outwardly, is arranged further away from the axis of rotation (11) ofthe bucket wheel (1) than the guide pin (46) and the elongated hole (511), and/or wherein the guide pin (46) is a replaceable guide pin (46).

10. The bucket wheel (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein an inner diameter ofthe elongated hole (511) is largerthan an outer diameter ofthe guide pin (46), preferably wherein the inner diameter ofthe elongated hole (511) is 1 mm to 5 mm larger than the outer diameter ofthe guide pin (46).

11. The bucket wheel (1) according to one ofthe preceding claims, wherein each bucket (4) comprises at least one guide arm (43) which is connected to the retaining ring (5) by the guide pin (46) and which guides a pivoting movement of each bucket (4) about its pivot axis (44) by a movement ofthe guide pin (46) in the corresponding elongated hole (511).

12. The bucket wheel (1) according to any one ofthe preceding claims, wherein each bucket (4) consists of at least one bucket bottom (41) and two side parts (42) arranged on opposite sides ofthe bucket bottom (41), wherein each bucket side part (42) is connected to the outer ring (3) via the pivot axis (44) and has a guide pin (46) on a corresponding guide arm (43) arranged in a corresponding elongated hole (511) in the retaining ring (5) and thereby connected to the retaining ring (5).

13. The bucket wheel (1) according to one ofthe preceding claims, wherein the bucketwheel (1) comprises a plurality of buckets (4) and each bucket (4) ofthe plurality of buckets (4) can be alternately fixed in the first and the second end position (4A, 4B), preferably implementing a synchronous pivoting movement of the plurality of buckets (4).

14. A bridge bucket wheel apparatus, in particular for removing material from a bulk material stockpile, comprising a trolley (10) mounted on a bridge and movable along the bridge, a bucket wheel (1) according to any one ofthe preceding claims, the outer ring (3) of the bucket wheel (1) being rotatable about the inner ring (2) fixedly connected to the trolley (10), and a belt conveyor device, which receives the material mined by the bucket wheel (1) on a conveyor belt and conveys it relative to the trolley (10), wherein the bridge bucket device preferably further comprises an active or passive rake, in particular a harrow, mounted on the trolley (10), which rake conveys the material priorto mining by the bucket wheel (1) to the mining location, in particular to the foot of the stockpile, and/or wherein the bucket wheel (1) preferably rotâtes around the conveyor belt.

15. A method of pivoting at least one bucket (4) of a bucket wheel (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 13, comprising the following steps: locking the retaining ring (5);

releasing the lock between the adjusting ring (5) and outer ring (3) by rotating the outer ring (3) relative to the stationary inner ring (2) and with the adjusting ring (5) locked in a first direction of rotation, the outer ring (3) being rotated relative to the locked adjusting ring (5) in the first direction of rotation, further rotating the outer ring (3) relative to the stationary inner ring (2) and with locked adjusting ring (5) in the first direction of rotation until the at least one blade (4), preferably a plurality of blades (4), is pivoted from the first end position (4A) bearing against the outer ring (3) into the second end position (4B) lying opposite the first end position (4A) and bearing against the outer ring (3), and (4B) opposite to the first end position (4A), and effecting the locking between the adjusting ring (5) and the outer ring (3); and loosen the locking ofthe setting ring (5).