US1773252A - Excavating machinery - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 19, 1930. w. MJBA ER ET AL 1,773,252

EXCAVA'IING MACHINERY Filed Jan. 4, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII W150? M 509 Wemer Zeb INVENT0R5 2 A TTORNEYS Aug. 1371936; w. M BAGER ET AL 1,773,252

EXGAVATING MACHINERY Filed Jam 4, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 M'Zliam/ ifiayer Fer/10265117011. INVENTORS ATTORNEY-S Aug. T9; 193 6? w. M. BAGER ET AL V 17 3 EXCAVATING MACHINERY Filed Jan. 4, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 I Werner Zehflcm. 3 INVENTORS Patented Aug. 19, 1930 UNITED j STATES PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM. M. Briana AND WERNER LEHMAN, 0F sou'rrr MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, Assreuons TO BUCYRUS-ERIE COMPANY, on scorn MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, A con- PORATION OF DELAWARE EXCAVATING MACHINERY Application filed January 4, 1926. Serial No. 79,162.

Our invention relates to new and useful improvements in excavating machinery, particularly of the types known as .revolving power-shovels, and more particularly of that type of revolving power-shovel designed primarily for mining-work, as that work is of a nature to necessitate an unusually compact, sturdy and mobile construction.

It is one object of our invention to provide a novel and strong type of roller track. Heretofore two methods of constructing this track have been used, both of which have inherent defects. One of these methods uses as track a machined face on the base casting. As the base in its entirety must be cast of one metal, the dilemma is presented of making the whole casting of metal hard enough to provide a proper track face, with consequent difficulty of machining. or of making the whole casting of ductile metal in which case the track face wears excessively. This scheme precludes easy replacement of wearing surfaces. The second method is to mount a curved rail upon the base casting. This is subject to the defect that the web of the rail,

being fatigued by excessive strain and shock,

will crack and break after relatively short use. We have avoided both classes of defects by machining a circular groove in both the upper and lower frames, which are both of the softer metal usuallyemployed, and then spot-welding or otherwise securing in each of these grooves a machined ring of harder metal to furnish a bearing for the rollers. Such securing of the ring permits replacement without affecting the large base and frame castings and involves a minimum of expense and labor.

Our revolving frame is made of two castings rigidly pin-connected together, the line of division being transverse of the frame. While this frame could be cast in one piece, it would tax shop facilities to machine such a large member. We have thus provided a construction next best to a unitary casting,

and much superior to the usual trussed structure consisting of two side beams and a number of cross beams, all connected by a multiplicity of bolts which are likely to work loose,

thereby causing loss of time for constant overhauling.

One ob ect of our division of the revolvmg frame into-two castings is to supply an interchangeable rear end for this frame. According as the power to actuate the prime mover is steam, gasoline, electric or other power, certain radical changes, besides that of the prime mover itself, become necessary. It is obvious, for instance, that a steam boiler, requiring ash pit, bunker space, etc., necessitates a different base than an electric, gasoline or Diesel motor. In order to avoid the change of the whole revolving base, we have Dlaced the power-generating plant and its more immediate accessories upon the rearportion of the frame, keeping the machinery elements which are independent of the character of the source of power on the forward, permanent portion. This rear portion is pinconnected to the forward portion. This division of the revolving frame also allows the possibility of shipping this frame in two pieces, in case it is inconvenient or impossible to ship it as a unit.

A further object of our invention is to provide a novel form of creeping traction mounting. The advantages of the approved form of mounting in use up to the present are set forth in Letters Patent No. 1,485,945, issued March 4, 1925, to the first named of the applicants in this present case, wherein Figare 6 shows the cantilever brackets usually,

' ever, as the excavator is increased in size, the

difiiculties encountered will begin to offset the advantages. The base becomes unwieldy,

too large for shipment with rollers and tumblers in place, and subject to excessive strain on the cantilever brackets. By assembling our creeping traction unit upon stubaxles rigidly attached to a side frame, which side frame is rigidly attached to the main base, we have eliminated the disadvantages enumerated above. It is therefore possible for us to ship each traction unit completely assembled, thereby retaining all the advantages set forth in the said patent.

It is to be noted that our construction of the creepifig traction unit and our method of mounting it, allow easy access to all parts of the unit without demounting or disassemblin z I e have furthermorefprovided anovel lock or brake-for the creeping traction units,

that is easily placed in or out of action and which when in use, effectively prevents the I to provide a combined wabbler and clutch disconnectably joining the propelling machinery to the power source.

Other advantages of our new and 1mproved excavating machinery will be evident to those skilled in the art, and need not be herein more specifically set forth.

The invention consists in the novel parts, and in'the combinations and arrangements thereof, which are defined in the appended claims; and of which one embodiment is exemplified in the accompanying drawings, which are hereinafter particularly described and. explained.

Throughout the description the same reference number is applied'to the same member or to similar members.

Figure 1 is a more or less conventionalized side elevation of the entire excavator, illustrating however in sufficient detail the rearend constuction claimed.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the base and of thecreeping traction mounting, the right half of the drawing beingpartly in section.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of one creeping traction unit (part conventionalized), of the base, and of the front part of the revolving frame, the front portion being in section to illustrate the rollers and roller-tracks.

Figure 4 is a detailed vertical, longitudinal section along the line 4-4 in Figure 2.

' Figure 5 is an enlarged view of that portion of Figure 3 which shows the roller and roller-tracks in section.

Figure. 6 shows an alternative form for the take-up device shown in Figure 4.

Figure 7 is an elevational view, partly in section, of two clutch members, showing the key or chock in position to lock the traction unit against movement. 0

Referring to the drawings, it will be seen that 1 represents the main base casting of a turntable, revolvably mounted on casting 2, which in turn is supported on two creepingtraction units, one of which is shown conventionally as 3 in Figure 1.

Casting 1 carries the hoist WlIlCh 4, the swing machinery 5, the A-frame 6 and the boom 7. The boom is supported from the which rests on and is bolted to the flat, upper preferably welded in place.

A-frame by back-braces 8. A dipper 9 mounted on handles 10, is arranged to swing about, and reciprocate with respect to, a pivot11 on the boom; the swinging of the "dipper being accomplished by the hoist-cable 12, which passes overthe boom-point sheave 13, andis actuated by the winch 4; and the reciprocating being accomplished by the boomengine 14, acting in the usual manner, which need not be more particularly described.

All the foregoing is common to many types of power-shovels, and is more or less conventionally. shown in Figure 1.

Casting 1 carries at each side, at the rear thereof, two lugs 15, by means of which is attached and supported the rear-end casting 16, which carries the steam boiler 17 and its appurtenances. Braces l8 connect the'A- frame 6 to the rear-end casting, but do not contribute, except incidentally, to the support of the rear-end casting.

Turning now to Figure 3, we find mounted on casting 2, a circular rack-member 19, hav- 1ng an internally-projecting annular web 20,

portion 21 of the casting 2. Projecting downwardly through the castng 1, is a vertical swing shaft 22, having at 1ts top end a bevel-gear 23, driven by the swlng-machinery 5, and at its lower end a pinion 24, engaging the rack 19 for revolving the turntable. A

In the bottom surface of casting 1 is machined an annular groove 25, in which is inserted a wear-resisting ring 26, which is A similar ring 27 is inserted in a similar groove 28 in the web 20 of the rack 19.

The ring 26 travels on a series of rollers 29 which in turn travel on ring 27. The rollers are spaced apart from each other by inner roller-ring 30 and outer roller-ring 31.

This construction constitutes a great improvcment over the current practice of machining the roller paths on the non-wear-resisting metal of the casting l and the web 20.

A detailed cross-section of the grooves 25 and 28, the rings 26 and 27 and the rollers 29 is shown in Figure 5, on the same sheet with Figure 3.

Referring to Figure 2, and more particularly to the right hand portion, it is seen that the rollers 32 are rotatably mounted on stubshafts 33, said stub-shafts being rigidly mounted in the side-frame 34 of the creeping traction unit. This side-frame 34 bears integral therewith an upper plate 35. Upon this upper plate there rests, being bolted thereto by bolts 36, the lower plate 37 of the casting shown as 2 in Figure 1. The upper portion of casting 2 is the beforementioned fiat portion 21, (as shown in Figures 1 and 5,) upon which rests the annular web 20 0f the rack member 19. Figure 2 shows the radial members 38 which connect the outer portions of casting 2, with the central bearing sleeve 38. The upper portion 21 and the lowor portion 37 of this casting are connected by webs 39.

The non-driving tumbler 40 is rotatably carried on the cylindrical end of the square load-supporting non-rotatable stub-axle 41, which axle projects inwardly from the side frame 34 a relatively small distance, its end the abutting ends of 41 and 42 are inserted and to which both are bolted. Or the element 42 may itself constitute such a sleeve, being socketed at its ends for the reception of the end of the stub-axle 41.

The stub-axle 41 is movable longitudinally with respect to the creeping traction unit, by means of the yoke 43 and the take-up bolts 44. This constructlon, which is shown in detail in Figure 4, is for the purpose of providing an efficient means for keeping the tractionbelt taut, by means of the nuts 45. An alternative form of this take-up device is shown in Figure 6, the bolt-holes being made of substantially larger size than the bolts 44, in order that the thread of the bolts shall not be worn by contact with the sides of the boltholes, and the nuts 45 being provided with a cylindrical guide-collar 45 which projects into the bolt-hole for the purpose of centering the bolt in the hole.

When the beam 42 is removed, the stubaxle 41 is held only by two bolts which are disposed in a vertical plane longitudinal to the traction unit,andis therefore capable of some amount of horizontal rotation. As such rotation would loosen the tread-belt and thus make trouble in shipment, the stub-axle 41 is in that case secured in position by the insertion of temporary chocks (not shown).

Power for moving the excavator is conveyed from the machinery shown in Figure 1 through the rotation of the vertical shaft (not shown) which is central to the frame 2 and to the rack 19. The lower end of this shaft carries rigidly mounted thereon a bevel pinion (not shown) which meshes with the bevel gear 46. This bevel gear is rigidly mounted on a shaft 47, which bears a bevel inion 48 rigidly mountedon, its other end. eshing with the pinion 48 is a bevel gear 49 mounted on the drive-shaft 50. This driveshaft- 50 is rotatably carried in two bearings 51, 51, which are rigidly mounted on the lower frame 2, and are widely separated in order to provide a rigid and true alignment of said shaft 50. Each end of said shaft 50 bears non-rotatably mounted thereon an inner male clutch member 52, aligned with a similar outer male clutch member 53 which latter is rigidly mounted on a stub-shaft 54. This stub-shaft is rotatably held in relatively widely separated bearings 55, 55, which are rigidly borne by the side frames 34, and therefore hold the stub-shaft in true alignment with the drive shaft 50.

Slidable, so as to engage only with the outer male clutch member 53, or to engage both male clutch members 52 and 53 is a female clutch member, or clutch rin 56, which serves the double purpose of web ler clutch and coupling. This clutch ring-56 is actuated in any convenientmanner.

Between the two bearings 55, 55, the shaft 54 is squared and carries a pinion 57, which .meshes with a gear 58. Said gear 58 is carlied on a squared portion of the drlving axle 59. The driving'axle is journaled in bear-.

ings 60, rigidly carried by the creeping trac tion side frame 34, and carries at its outer end, which is also squared, the driving tumbler 61., by means of which the tread-belt 62, which surrounds the tumblers 40 and 61 and the rollers 32, is driven.

Havingnow described the method of conveying the power from the prime mover to each tread belt,'it will be seen that, according as the clutch ring 56 on either side engages only the inner male clutch member 52, or engages both male clutch members 52 and 53, the tread-belt on that side will idle or will be driven.

A removable gear cover 63, shown at the left in Figure 2, is bolted over the bearings and pinions on stub-shaft 54 and on tumbler shaft 59. The gear case carries a projection 64 which is sufficiently elevated above the outer clutch member 53 to allow free sliding of the clutch-ring 56 to all its required positions. This projection is provided with a vertically elongated socket of rectangular horizontal cross-section, which serves as a key-way. A key or chock, as shown in Figure 7, or any convenient substitute, whose cross-section is similar to that of the said socket, is provided for insertion into the socket; the lower end of said key being of the proper size and shape to fit into the grooves between the teeth of the outer male clutch member 53. This key may conveniently be connected by a chain to some adjacent portion of the structure- When inserted into .the socket and into a groove of the clutch ing machinery, we wish to be understood as i not limitin ourselves to the particular form exem lifie but rather as availing ourselves of al equivalents.

Claims to the turntable ring feature shown in this application areincluded in our copfnding application, Serial No. 17 7,396, filed filed March 22, 1

' combination of: a

arch 22, 1927.

Claimsto the two-part cast base feature shown in this a plication are included in our copending applicgt azi'on, Serial No. 177,397,

Claims to the creeping-traction belt takeu feature shown in this application are inc uded in our co nding agplication, Serial No. 30,552, filed fl 15, 19 5.

We claim:

1. In a machine of combination of: a base; a mounted thereon; traction units sup ower-source two remova le creepingframes, one in eac traction umt; stubsax es 'rigldly mounted on,

g and projecting outwardly from, the frame of each traction unit; load-sup orting rollers, one journalled'on each stu -axle of each traction unit; two non-rotatable axles, one in each traction unit, each such axle bein mounted'for longitudinal adjustment witE respect to the frame of its traction unit; two non-driv'n tumblers, one mounted on the non-rotata le axle of each traction unit; two driving axles, one mounted in each traction unit; two driving tumblers, one mounted on each drivin axle; two gear reductions, one being for each drivmg, axle; two completely disconnectible means, one drivably connecting each gearreduction to the power source on the main frame; two creepin traction tread-belts, one 'dlSEOSQd around t e tumblers and rollers of eac traction unit; and disconnectible means holding the two non-rotatable axles 1n rigid relation to each other.

described, the

2. In a machine of the class base; a power-source mounted thereon; and two self-contained cree ing-traction units rigidly supporting the ase, and readily removable therefrom as an intact unit; each unit being comprised as follows, namely: a rigid frame; stub-axles thereon, projecting outwardly beyond said frame; a load-supporting roller' journalled on each stub-axle; aload-supporting axle adjustable longitudinally axle; a driving axle; a driving-tumbler mounted on said driving-axle; means drivably connecting said driving-axle to the power-source on the main frame; and a cree ing-traction tread-belt disposed around said tumblers and rollers.

'3. In a machine of the class described, the I combination of: a base; a power-source mounted thereon; a plurality, of removable creeping-traction units rigidly supporting the base; a shaft mounted on said base and the class described, th

rting the base; two ri id of said frame; a'

driven by said power-source; a shaft mounted on one of sald creeping-traction units and driving said unit; and a clutch, two members of which are respectively carried by said shafts; said members being held in operative relation to each other by the ri 'dity of the relation between the base and t e creepingtraction unit.

4. In a machine of the class described, the combination of: a base; a power-source mounted thereon; a pluralit of removable cree ing-traction umts rigi ly su portin the Ease; a shaft mounted on said ase an driven by said ower-source; a shaft mounted on one of sai creeping-traction units and driving said unit; and a clutch, consisting of two members of one sexand one member of the other sex, the two members of the same sex being respectively carried by said shafts, and the one member of the other sex servin as a wabbler driving connection between said two shafts. said members being held in 0 'erthe rigi ity ase and the the slidable axle; and means for moving each end of said'yoke independently of the other end of said yoke, suc motion being longitudinal of said belt and forthe purpose of controlling the. tension in said belt.

6. In a machine of the class described: two load-supporting tumblers both rotating in one plane; a creeping-traction belt disposed about said tumblers; an axle for each 0 said tumblers; one axle being held against motion longitudinally of said belt, and the other being slidable longitudinally yoke ivoted on the slidab e axle, one end of said yoke being above and the other below the slidable axle; and two bolts, one for moving each end of said yoke independently of the other end of said yoke, such motion being longitudinal of said belt and for the purpose of controlling the tension in said belt.

'WILLIAM M. BAGER.

WERNER LEHMAN.

of said belt; a

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