WO2014190384A1

WO2014190384A1 - Click-on wear plate system

Info

Publication number: WO2014190384A1
Application number: PCT/AU2014/000562
Authority: WO
Inventors: Michael Graham WORTHINGTON; Lin William VOGLER
Original assignee: Mining Innovations Australia Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2013-05-27
Filing date: 2014-05-27
Publication date: 2014-12-04

Abstract

A wear plate (10) for a wear plate system for protecting a surface (12) from wear, the wear plate (10) comprising a main body (14) made of suitably wear- resistant material; and a key lock pin (16) fixed to and protruding from the underside of the main body (14) and adapted to be received in sliding engagement in a matching key lock hole (18) provided on the surface to be protected. In use, the wear plate (10) can be affixed to the surface (12) by inserting the key lock pin (16) into the key lock hole (18) and sliding the main body (14) along until it is locked into position. A wear plate system comprising a plurality of wear plates is also described.

Description

"CLICK-ON WEAR PLATE SYSTEM"

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a click-on wear plate system for protecting mining machinery parts subject to high wear and relates particularly, though not exclusively, to such a wear plate system for the tray of a dump truck of the kind used at mine sites.

Background to the Invention In the mining industry large dump trucks or haul trucks are used for transporting the ore from large open-cut mine sites and quarries to another site for temporary storage and further processing. The tray of such dump trucks is subject to high wear, particularly as the ore is loaded and unloaded resulting in severe abrasion of the tray surface. In order to extend the working life of dump truck trays it is common practice to affix wear plates to the surface of the tray in those areas subject to high wear. The wear plates are typically made from hardened steel or ceramic material and are designed to sacrificially wear away to a minimum thickness before needing to be replaced. A traditional wear plate system involves welding the wear plates into place over most of the tray body surface in order to protect it from wear. Eventually the worn plates have to be replaced. However removal of the old wear plates involves cutting the old plates off with a grinder and then welding the new plates in place. The removal of the old plates and installation of the new plates typically takes up to seven days. In the mining industry such down-time is extremely expensive as it directly affects production. A further disadvantage with this traditional wear plate system is that continual welding and cutting fatigues the tray body metal, shortening its life span. In addition, the process of replacing the wear plates must be performed by a qualified boiler maker.

The present invention was developed with a view to providing a click-on wear plate system in which the old wear plates on a dump truck tray can be more quickly removed and more easily replaced with new wear plates. It will be apparent that a similar wear plate system may also be employed on the surfaces of other types of mining machinery which are subject to high wear.

References to prior art in this specification are provided for illustrative purposes only and are not to be taken as an admission that such prior art is part of the common general knowledge in Australia or elsewhere.

Summary of the Invention

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a wear plate for a wear plate system for protecting a surface from wear, the wear plate comprising: a main body made of suitably wear-resistant material; and a key lock pin fixed to and protruding from the underside of the main body and adapted to be received in sliding engagement in a matching key lock hole provided on the surface to be protected whereby, in use, the wear plate can be affixed to the surface by inserting the key lock pin into the key lock hole and sliding the main body along until it is locked into position.

Typically the key lock pin comprises a slide plate supported a prescribed distant from and substantially parallel to the underside of the main body of the wear plate and the key lock hole comprises a receiving aperture of similar shape to the slide plate. Preferably the slide plate is supported on the underside of the main body by a supporting lug. Advantageously the key lock hole has a slot extending in one direction from the receiving aperture, the slot being of a width designed to receive the supporting lug therein in sliding engagement. Preferably the slide plate is chamfered to assist in tightening when the wear plate is locked into position. Typically the main body is of generally planar configuration. Typically the surface is a surface of a truck body such as a dump truck tray.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a wear plate system for protecting a surface from wear, the system comprising: a plurality of wear plates, each wear plate comprising a main body made of suitably wear-resistant material and a key lock pin fixed to and protruding from the underside of the main body; and, a plurality of key lock holes provided on the surface to be protected and adapted to receive a respective key lock pin therein in sliding engagement whereby, in use, each wear plate can be affixed to the surface by inserting the key lock pin into a respective key lock hole and sliding the main body of the wear plate along until it is locked into position.

Typically the key lock pin comprises a slide plate supported a prescribed distant from and substantially parallel to the underside of the main body of the wear plate and the key lock hole comprises a receiving aperture of similar shape to the slide plate. Preferably the slide plate is supported on the underside of the main body by a supporting lug. Advantageously the key lock hole has a slot extending in one direction from the receiving aperture, the slot being of a width designed to receive the supporting lug therein in sliding engagement. Preferably the slide plate is chamfered to assist in tightening the key lock pin in the key lock hole when sliding the main body of the wear plate along until it is locked into position.

Preferably the wear plate system further comprises a second type of wear plate referred to as an end plate, each end plate comprising: a main body made of suitably wear-resistant material; a locating lug fixed to and protruding from the underside of the main body and adapted to be received in a matching locating hole provided on the surface to be protected, the locating lug having a transversely extending locking aperture provided therein in a part of the locating lug protruding a prescribed distance below the locating hole; and, a locking pin adapted to be received in the locking aperture whereby, in use, the end plate can affixed to the surface by inserting the locating lug into the locating hole, and inserting the locking pin into the locking aperture so as to lock the end plate into position.

Preferably each of the wear plates is installed on the surface to be protected with the main body of the wear plate when it is locked into position abutting against the main body of an adjacent wear plate previously installed. Preferably the end plates are installed last and locked into position on the surface to be protected after all the other wear plates have been locked into position. Advantageously the main body of each of the wear plates is of rectangular configuration and the wear plates are affixed to the surface to be protected in a tiled arrangement. Typically the main body of each of the wear plates is of generally planar configuration.

Advantageously the locking pin of each end plate is of elongate configuration and has a pair of transversely extending locking lugs provided adjacent a distal end of the pin. Preferably the locking pin also has a handle at a proximal end of the pin to enable the locking pin to be turned from an unlocked to a locked position. Preferably the locking aperture has a pair of matching locking lug slots adapted to receive the locking lugs there-through when the locking pin is inserted into the locking aperture in the unlocked position. Advantageously the locating lug is hollow and the pair of matching locking lug slots is one of first and second pairs of slots provided respectively on opposite sides of the locating lug.

Typically the surface is a surface of a truck body such as a dump truck tray. Alternatively, the surface may be a surface of mining equipment exposed to wear such as a mining excavator, mining bucket, track tread, track pad or ground engaging tools. Throughout the specification, unless the context requires otherwise, the word "comprise" or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising", will be understood to imply the inclusion of a stated integer or group of integers but not the exclusion of any other integer or group of integers. Likewise the word "preferably" or variations such as "preferred", will be understood to imply that a stated integer or group of integers is desirable but not essential to the working of the invention.

Brief Description of the Drawings The nature of the invention will be better understood from the following detailed description of several specific embodiments of the wear plate system, given by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 (a) illustrates a first embodiment of a wear plate according to the present invention, showing how it is received in a matching key lock hole provided on a surface to be protected;

Figure 1 (b) is a side elevation of the wear plate of Figure 1 (a);

Figure 2 (a) is an end elevation of a first embodiment of a second type of wear plate according to the present invention affixed to the surface to be protected;

Figure 2 (b) shows a side elevation and an end elevation of a locking pin employed in the wear plate of Figure 2 (a);

Figure 2 (c) is a side elevation of the wear plate of Figure 2 (a) with the locking pin removed; and,

Figure 3 illustrates a first embodiment of a wear plate system according to the present invention. Detailed Description of Preferred Embodiments

A first embodiment of a wear plate 10 in accordance with the invention, as illustrated in Figure 1 , for protecting a surface 12 from wear, comprises a main body 14 of generally planar configuration made of suitably wear- resistant material. Typically the main body 14 is made from hardened steel plate. The wear plate 10 further comprises a key lock pin 16 fixed to and protruding from the underside of the main body 14. The key lock pin 16 is adapted to be received in sliding engagement in a matching key lock hole 18 provided on the surface 12 to be protected (such as the surface of a dump truck tray). In use, the wear plate 10 can be affixed to the surface 12 by inserting the key lock pin 16 into the key lock hole 18 and sliding the main body 14 along in the direction of arrow A until it is locked into position with a click-on action.

In the illustrated embodiment the key lock pin 16 comprises a slide plate 20 supported a prescribed distant from and substantially parallel to the underside of the main body 14 of the wear plate 10. The key lock hole 18 comprises a receiving aperture 22 of similar shape to the slide plate 20. In this embodiment both the receiving aperture 22 and the slide plate 20 are of rectangular shape. However it will be understood that the slide plate 20 may be of any suitable shape. Preferably the slide plate 20 is supported on the underside of the main body by a supporting lug 24. Advantageously the key lock hole 18 has a slot 26 extending in one direction from the receiving aperture 22, the slot 26 being of a width designed to receive the supporting lug 24 therein in sliding engagement. When installing the wear plate 10 onto the surface 10 to be protected, the slide plate 20 is first aligned with the receiving aperture 22 and inserted there-through. Then the supporting lug 24 is aligned with the slot 26, and the wear plate 10 is then moved in the direction of arrow A so that the supporting lug 24 slides along the slot 26. Preferably an upper surface of the slide plate 20 is chamfered, as can be seen in Figure 1 (b), to assist in tightening as the supporting lug 24 slides along the slot 26 and the wear plate 10 is locked into position using a click-on action.

The wear plate 10 is preferably a component of a wear plate system 30 for protecting the surface 12 from wear. The wear plate system 30 comprises a plurality of such wear plates 10, as described above. A plurality of key lock holes 18 are provided on the surface 12 to be protected and are adapted to receive a respective key lock pin 16 therein in sliding engagement. In use, each wear plate 10 can be affixed to the surface 12 by inserting the key lock pin 16 into a respective key lock hole 18 and sliding the main body 14 of the wear plate 10 along until it is locked into position. In this way the whole of the surface 12 that it is desired to protect from wear can be covered with the plurality of wear plates 10, as illustrated in Figure 3. Figure 3 shows the surface of a dump truck tray body 32 partially covered with wear plates 10 (also labelled as KL for key lock). Preferably the wear plate system 30 further comprises a second type of wear plate referred to as an end plate 34, which is illustrated in Figure 2. Each end plate 34 comprises a main body 40 of generally planar configuration made of suitably wear-resistant material. The main body 40 is similar in shape and function to the main body 20 of the first type of wear plate 10 described above. A locating lug 42 is fixed to and protrudes from the underside of the main body 40 and is adapted to be received in a matching locating hole 44 provided on the surface 12 to be protected. In this embodiment both the locating lug 42 and locating hole 44 are of circular cross-section. The locating lug 42 has a transversely extending locking aperture 46 provided therein, in a part of the locating lug protruding a prescribed distance below the locating hole 44, as can be seen most clearly in Figure 2 (c). Preferably the part of the locating lug that protrudes below the locating hole 44 is supported at the prescribed distance by a pair of spacer lugs 56 provided on the underside of the tray body 32, as shown in Figures 2 (a). A locking pin 48 is adapted to be received in the locking aperture 46. In use, the end plate 34 can be affixed to the surface 12 by inserting the locating lug 42 into the locating hole 44, and then inserting the locking pin 48 into the locking aperture 46 so as to lock the end plate 34 into position.

Advantageously the locking pin 48 is of elongate configuration and has a pair of transversely extending locking lugs 50 provided adjacent a distal end of the pin 48, as can be seen most clearly in Figure 2 (b). Preferably the locking pin 48 also has a handle 52 at a proximal end of the pin 48 to enable the locking pin 48 to be turned from an unlocked to a locked position. Preferably the locking aperture 46 has a pair of matching locking lug slots 54 adapted to receive the locking lugs 50 there-through when the locking pin 48 is inserted into the locking aperture 46 in the unlocked position. When the locking pin 48 is inserted into the locking aperture 46 and the handle 52 turned to the locked position, an annular front edge of the locking pin 48 and the locking lugs 54 preferably engage with the respective spacer lugs 56 with a tight friction fit, as shown in Figure 2 (a).

In the illustrated embodiment the locating lug 42 is hollow and the pair of matching locking lug slots is one of first and second pairs of slots 54a and 54b provided respectively on opposite sides of the locating lug 42. Advantageously the first pair of matching locking lug slots 54a is provided on diametrically opposite sides of the locking aperture 46 at a first angle, whilst the second pair of matching locking lug slots 54b is provided on diametrically opposite sides of the locking aperture 46 at a second angle which is offset from the first angle, as can be seen most clearly in Figure 2 (c). Hence when the locking pin 48 is inserted into the locking aperture 46 so that the locking lugs 50 pass through the first locking lug slots 54a, it must then be rotated to the second angle before the locking lugs 50 can pass through the second locking lug slots 54b. This arrangement is designed to inhibit the locking pin 48 from vibrating out of the locking aperture 46. The two different angles provide added safety. Preferably each of the wear plates 10 is installed on the surface 12 to be protected, of the truck tray body 32, with the main body 14 of the wear plate 10 when it is locked into position abutting against the main body 14 of an adjacent wear plate 10 previously installed. In the illustrated embodiment, the main body 14 of each of the wear plates 10 is of rectangular configuration, and the wear plates 10 are affixed to the surface 12 of the truck tray body 32 in a tiled arrangement, as illustrated in Figure 3. Preferably the end plates 34 (also labelled PL for pin lock) are installed last, and locked into position on the surface 12 to be protected, after all the other wear plates 10 have been locked into position. In the illustrated embodiment the end plates 34 are affixed at the rear of the tray body 32, and effectively prevent all of the other wear plates 10 from sliding backwards from their locked positions.

In the described embodiment the key lock holes 18 and locating holes 44 for the wear plates are provided in the surface 12 of the truck tray body itself. However it will be understood that the key lock holes 18 and locating holes 44 may be provided in specially designed mounting plates (not shown) which are permanently welded onto the surface 12 of the truck tray body in the required locations. This has the advantage that the integrity of the truck tray body 32 is not itself compromised by the cutting of key lock holes 18 and locating holes 44 into its surface.

Now that preferred embodiments of the wear plates and wear plate system have been described in detail, it will be apparent that the described embodiments provide a number of advantages over the prior art, including the following:

(i) The system eliminates the need for welding to fit the wear plates to the surface to be protected.

(ii) The system eliminates the need for grinding and cutting to remove the worn plates. (iii) There is no need for a qualified boilermaker to remove and replace the worn plates, as the old plates are easily removed and replaced with new wear plates using a simple click-on action.

It will be readily apparent to persons skilled in the relevant arts that various modifications and improvements may be made to the foregoing embodiments, in addition to those already described, without departing from the basic inventive concepts of the present invention. For example, in each of the illustrated embodiments the main body of the wear plate is of generally planar configuration. However it will be apparent that the main body may also be of curved configuration to match the curvature of the surface to be protected. Therefore, it will be appreciated that the scope of the invention is not limited to the specific embodiments described.

Claims

1. A wear plate for a wear plate system for protecting a surface from wear, the wear plate comprising: a main body made of suitably wear-resistant material; and a key lock pin fixed to and protruding from the underside of the main body and adapted to be received in sliding engagement in a matching key lock hole provided on the surface to be protected whereby, in use, the wear plate can be affixed to the surface by inserting the key lock pin into the key lock hole and sliding the main body along until it is locked into position.

2. A wear plate as defined in claim 1 , wherein the key lock pin comprises a slide plate supported a prescribed distant from and substantially parallel to the underside of the main body of the wear plate and the key lock hole comprises a receiving aperture of similar shape to the slide plate.

3. A wear plate as defined in claim 2, wherein the slide plate is supported on the underside of the main body by a supporting lug. 4. A wear plate as defined in claim 2, wherein the key lock hole has a slot extending in one direction from the receiving aperture, the slot being of a width designed to receive the supporting lug therein in sliding engagement.

5. A wear plate as defined in claim 2, wherein the slide plate is chamfered to assist in tightening when the wear plate is locked into position. 6. A wear plate as defined in claim 5, wherein the main body is of generally planar configuration.

7. A wear plate system for protecting a surface from wear, the system comprising: a plurality of wear plates, each wear plate comprising a main body made of suitably wear-resistant material and a key lock pin fixed to and protruding from the underside of the main body; and, a plurality of key lock holes provided on the surface to be protected and adapted to receive a respective key lock pin therein in sliding engagement whereby, in use, each wear plate can be affixed to the surface by inserting the key lock pin into a respective key lock hole and sliding the main body of the wear plate along until it is locked into position.

8. A wear plate system as defined in claim 7, wherein the key lock pin comprises a slide plate supported a prescribed distant from and substantially parallel to the underside of the main body of the wear plate and the key lock hole comprises a receiving aperture of similar shape to the slide plate.

9. A wear plate system as defined in claim 8, wherein the slide plate is supported on the underside of the main body by a supporting lug.

10. A wear plate system as defined in claim 9, wherein the key lock hole has a slot extending in one direction from the receiving aperture, the slot being of a width designed to receive the supporting lug therein in sliding engagement. 1. A wear plate system as defined in claim 10, wherein the slide plate is chamfered to assist in tightening the key lock pin in the key lock hole when sliding the main body of the wear plate along until it is locked into position.

12. A wear plate system as defined in claim 11 , further comprising a second type of wear plate referred to as an end plate, each end plate comprising: a main body made of suitably wear-resistant material; a locating lug fixed to and protruding from the underside of the main body and adapted to be received in a matching locating hole provided on the surface to be protected, the locating lug having a transversely extending locking aperture provided therein in a part of the locating lug protruding a prescribed distance below the locating hole; and, a locking pin adapted to be received in the locking aperture whereby, in use, the end plate can affixed to the surface by inserting the locating lug into the locating hole, and inserting the locking pin into the locking aperture so as to lock the end plate into position.

13. A wear plate system as defined in claim 12, wherein each of the wear plates is installed on the surface to be protected with the main body of the wear plate when it is locked into position abutting against the main body of an adjacent wear plate previously installed.

14. A wear plate system as defined in claim 13, wherein the end plates are installed last and locked into position on the surface to be protected after all the other wear plates have been locked into position.

15. A wear plate system as defined in claim 14, wherein the main body of each of the wear plates is of rectangular configuration and the wear plates are affixed to the surface to be protected in a tiled arrangement.

16. A wear plate system as defined in claim 12, wherein the main body of each of the wear plates is of generally planar configuration.

17. A wear plate system as defined in claim 12, wherein the locking pin of each end plate is of elongate configuration and has a pair of transversely extending locking lugs provided adjacent a distal end of the pin.

18. A wear plate system as defined in claim 17, wherein the locking pin also has a handle at a proximal end of the pin to enable the locking pin to be turned from an unlocked to a locked position. 19. A wear plate system as defined in claim 18, wherein the locking aperture has a pair of matching locking lug slots adapted to receive the locking lugs there-through when the locking pin is inserted into the locking aperture in the unlocked position.

20. A wear plate system as defined in claim 19, wherein the locating lug is hollow and the pair of matching locking lug slots is one of first and second pairs of slots provided respectively on opposite sides of the locating lug. 21. A wear plate system as defined in claim 7, wherein the surface is a surface of a truck body such as a dump truck tray.