WO2015079097A1 - Articulated transport equipment suitable for transporting rock material - Google Patents

Articulated transport equipment suitable for transporting rock material Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2015079097A1
WO2015079097A1 PCT/FI2013/051111 FI2013051111W WO2015079097A1 WO 2015079097 A1 WO2015079097 A1 WO 2015079097A1 FI 2013051111 W FI2013051111 W FI 2013051111W WO 2015079097 A1 WO2015079097 A1 WO 2015079097A1
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WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
transport equipment
equipment according
middle body
wheels
actuators
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/FI2013/051111
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Mäkisalo KARI
Original Assignee
Sandvik Mining And Construction Oy
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Sandvik Mining And Construction Oy filed Critical Sandvik Mining And Construction Oy
Priority to PCT/FI2013/051111 priority Critical patent/WO2015079097A1/en
Publication of WO2015079097A1 publication Critical patent/WO2015079097A1/en

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B62—LAND VEHICLES FOR TRAVELLING OTHERWISE THAN ON RAILS
    • B62D—MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS
    • B62D12/00—Steering specially adapted for vehicles operating in tandem or having pivotally connected frames
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B62—LAND VEHICLES FOR TRAVELLING OTHERWISE THAN ON RAILS
    • B62D—MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS
    • B62D13/00—Steering specially adapted for trailers
    • B62D13/02—Steering specially adapted for trailers for centrally-pivoted axles
    • B62D13/025—Steering specially adapted for trailers for centrally-pivoted axles the pivoted movement being initiated by the coupling means between tractor and trailer
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B62—LAND VEHICLES FOR TRAVELLING OTHERWISE THAN ON RAILS
    • B62D—MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS
    • B62D21/00—Understructures, i.e. chassis frame on which a vehicle body may be mounted
    • B62D21/18—Understructures, i.e. chassis frame on which a vehicle body may be mounted characterised by the vehicle type and not provided for in groups B62D21/02 - B62D21/17
    • B62D21/186—Understructures, i.e. chassis frame on which a vehicle body may be mounted characterised by the vehicle type and not provided for in groups B62D21/02 - B62D21/17 for building site vehicles or multi-purpose tractors
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B62—LAND VEHICLES FOR TRAVELLING OTHERWISE THAN ON RAILS
    • B62D—MOTOR VEHICLES; TRAILERS
    • B62D53/00—Tractor-trailer combinations; Road trains
    • B62D53/02—Tractor-trailer combinations; Road trains comprising a uniaxle tractor unit and a uniaxle trailer unit
    • B62D53/028—Having only coupling joints other than directional

Definitions

  • ⁇ ne invention relates to transporting equipment for transporting excavated rock material in mines and excavations, the transporting equipment being provided with articulated steering.
  • Minifig machines employed in the removal of excavated rock material include loading and transport, equipment.
  • the most commoh' loading ' equipment includes loaders, for example LHD (Load Haul Dump) loaders that load the rock material from an excavation into their bucket and then transport it further to a given location, a loading point, for loading.
  • LHD Load Haul Dump
  • said loaders load the rock material to a crusher, a transport wagon, a conveyor belt, or to railless transport equipment, such as a dump truck.
  • Transport equipment designed for mines and undergrbund 0 excavatioh are common mining machines used for railless removal of rock material.
  • Typical transport equipment includes articulated or fixed-body transport equipment.
  • articulated transport equipment of prior art is ; t 0-ax3 ⁇ 41 ⁇ 0r'th ! re ' €i-a->(i ⁇ transport equipment, having typically a body with one intermediate articulation rotating about a vertical axle.
  • the fixed-body transport equipment of prior art is typically transport equipment with three or more axles, wherein one or more of the axles can be steering axles.
  • transport equipment dump trucks
  • body solution of the transport equipment is such that it comprises a front body and a rear body, a middle body, the middle body comprising a tipping platform mounted on it, and the front body and the rear body being articulated by verti- cal axles to be pivotable with respect to the middle body.
  • the transport equipment In mines and underground excavation, a high load bearing capacity is generally required of the transport equipment in order to be able to remove the rock material as efficiently as possible.
  • the transport equipment should be designed such that it can conveniently move and turn in the relatively narrow mining tunnels.
  • a disadvantage of the current prior art transport equipment solutions is that their load bearing capacity is not sufficient in relation to the space required for turning in a mining tunnel.
  • the stability may become a problem with larger platforms, and on the other hand, the loading capacity is limited to 60 tons.
  • the turning angle is very limited in the solution according to the publication.
  • the transport equipment of the state of the art may even topple in a jack-knife position when turning.
  • the solution in which the platform is arranged in the middle of the transport equipment is disadvantageous or it cannot be used at all for tipping the load in some locations, because the tipping is performed to the side, and this is not possible in locations where the tipping should take place in such a way that the platform is lifted up and tipping backwards.
  • the body structure or at least the platform has to be designed separately or resigned for different sizes Of transport equipment, and similar body structures cannot be utilized in transport equipment with different loading capacities.
  • mines and underground as well as surface excavation there is a clear need and demand for new types of transport equipment solutions which can be used to achieve a sufficient load bearing capacity and to reduce the space required for turning in a mining tunnel.
  • the transport equipment according to the invention suitable for removing excavated rock material, is characterized in that a middle body is arranged between the front body and the rear body, and that a platform is arranged in the rear body for maximizing the load bearing capacity of the transport equipment, and that the control of the transport equipment is implemented, for minimizing the space required for turning, in such a way that the front body part and the rear body part can be controlled in a way dependent on or independent of each other to pivot by a desired angle about articulations arranged in the middle body by actuators, the actuators connecting the middle body to the front body and the rear body.
  • the articulated transport equipment according to the invention provides a very good load bearing capacity up to 90 tons and possibly even more. Furthermore, a small space for turning is made possible, i.e: a small turning radius in a mining tunnel.
  • the wheelbase of the transport equipment can be increased without affecting the turning, and in this way, a more even weight distribution between the axles can be achieved.
  • the articulated transport equipment according to the invention is also very stable and has a good intermediate of gravity when the transport vehicle is turning or is in a so-called jack-knife position, and this is an efficient way to prevent the transport vehicle from falling over.
  • Figure 1 shows a structure of articulated transport equipment according to the invention
  • Figure 2 illustrates, as seen from above, transport equipment according to an embodiment of the invention, and the articulation of the front body and the rear body of the transport equipment with respect to the middle body, and the fastening of the actuators to the body parts;
  • Figure 3 illustrates, as seen from above, the articulation of the body parts with respect to each other when transport equipment according to an embodiment of the invention is turning;
  • Figures 4 to 5 illustrate, as seen from above, the need of space for prior art transport equipment according to the state of art and for articulated transport equipment according to an embodiment of the invention, equipped with a plat- form, when turning to the right.
  • Figure 1 shows (in a side view) articulated transport equipment according to the invention, suitable for transporting rock material and intended for use particularly in mines and excavations.
  • the transport equipment comprises a chassis 1 for movable transport equipment, comprising a front body 2, a rear body 3, and a middle body 4 connecting the front body and the rear body, the chassis of the transport equipment comprising several wheels 8 to 10, at least one of them being a traction wheel.
  • a cabin for the transport vehicle 17 is arranged in the front body, and a power source, such as an internal combustion engine or an electric motor, is also provided in the front body, but the power source is not shown in the figure.
  • the power source can be provided in the middle body or in the rear body as well.
  • the rear body of the transport equipment is equipped with a platform 11 , for example a backward tipping platform for transporting rock material.
  • the tipping platform can also be of a side tipping type.
  • the middle body of the transport equipment is arranged between the front body and the rear body, and the middle body 4 is equipped with at least two vertical articulations 6, 7, by which the rear body and the front body are connected to the middle body in such a way that they can rotate with respect to the middle body, as can be seen in Fig. 1.
  • the rear body is provided with a platform 11 for transporting rock material, and the platform 11 can be designed so that it (or its end 11') extends for example totally or in part over the middle body or even the front body.
  • the shape and the size of the platform will depend on the application in question.
  • the steering of the transport equipment according to the invention is implemented in such a way that the front body 2 and the rear body 3 can be steered in a way dependent on or independent of each other to pivot (as shown in Fig. 1) by a desired angle about intermediate articulations 6, 7 fitted in the middle body 4 by actuators 3 to 16, the actuators connecting the middle body to the front body and the rear body.
  • the actuators which make the pivoting possible, and their function, are shown in more detail in Figs. 2 to 4.
  • Figure 2 illustrates, in a top view, the fastening of the front body 2 and the rear body 3 of the articulated transport equipment according to an embodiment of the invention by articulations 6, 7 to the middle body 4.
  • the figure also illustrates actuators 13 to 16, such as hydraulic cylinders, by which the front body and the rear body can be pivoted with respect to the middle body.
  • the articulated transport Vehicle is driven and proceeds straight ahead.
  • the front body part 2 and the rear body part 3 of the transport equipment move straight ahead, one after the other, and thus the front axle 10' and the rear axle 8' of the transport equipment are transverse to the travel direction of the transport equipment.
  • the rear body 3 of the transport equipment follows directly behind front body 2 and the middle body 4 of the transport equip- ment moving one after the other.
  • the steerable wheels 8 in the rear bod follow the direction of movement in such a way that their axle 8' is transverse to the travel direction of the transport equipment.
  • Reference numeral 9' indicates the axle of the middle wheels of the transport equipment.
  • One or more actuators 13 to 16 are arranged on one side or both sides of the middle body to enable the articulated steering, and one or more fastening points (13' to 16'), such as connecting lugs, are provided on both sides of the middle body, to which fastening points said one or more actuators on the same side of the middle body are fastened.
  • the other ends of the actuators are connected to fastening points in the front body and the rear body,; marked in a cor- responding manner with reference numerals 13" to 16".
  • the actuators can be hydraulic actuators, electric actuators, or mechanical actuators; or Combinations of these.
  • Figure 3 illustrates, as seen from above, progress of the articulated transport equipment according to an embodiment of the invention when the transport equipment is turned or driven to the left.
  • the transport equipment turns in such a way that the front body part 2 of the transport equipment is turned by the actuators 13 to 16 (for example, by a longitudinal movement of hydraulic pistons) to the left, seen from above (i.e. counter-clockwise), about the articulation 7 with respect to the middle body part 4.
  • the front axle 10' of the transport equipment has turned to the left, counter-clockwise when seen from above, and in a corresponding manner, the middle body 4 is also turned to the left, around the articulation 6 with respect to the rear body 3, by means of actuators, as can be seen in the figure.
  • Reference numeral 12 indicates a fastening part arranged in the front body, the articulation 7 being arranged in the fastening part.
  • the rear body 3 comprises two or more wheels 8 which can be arranged to be steerable or traction wheels, or to be both steerable and traction wheels. As shown in the figure, the rear body comprises four wheels 8, 9, of which the rearmost wheels 8 are steerable, i.e.
  • the rear body of the articulated transport equipment according to the invention is steered to proceed along the path of the transport equipment; in other words, it is configured to move with the front body part of the transport equipment in such a way that the articulated transport equipment does not require as much space as conventional transport equipment comprising a platform when turning.
  • the transport equipment may comprise a control/computing unit for controlling the actuators, by means of which unit the steerable wheels or the axles or axle shafts of the steerable wheels of the transport equipment are controlled to turn at a desired angle when the front body and the rear body pivot with respect to the middle body.
  • the pivoting of the front body and the rear body with respect to the middle body for turning the transport equipment, as well as the turning of the steerable axle or axle shaft in the rear body, can be automated.
  • Figures 4 to 5 illustrate, as seen from above, the need of space for articulated transport equipment according to an embodiment of the invention, equipped with a transport platform, when turning to the right (e.g. in a mining tunnel).
  • Figure 4 shows that when beginning to turn, the platform first remains almost straight in the solution according to the invention, contrary to the solution of prior art whose platform is denoted with a broken line (solution with a single articulation): the platform starts to turn earlier as the front body turns, and as a result, the platform touches the wall of the tunnel as indicated by the reference numeral 18 denoting the wall of the tunnel.
  • the solution according to the invention it is possible to avoid such contact with the wall, and the rear edge of the platform 11 is, in the embodiment according to the invention, spaced from the wall of the tunnel.
  • the rear body of the transport equipment follows the front body of the transport equipment and turns slightly to the left with respect to the previous direction of movement.
  • the steerable wheels of the articulated transport equipment according to the invention are controlled to turn with the articulated steering in such a way that the need of space can be minimized in the turn.
  • the articulated transport equipment equipped with the platform does not require so much space when turning; in other words, it is capable of turning e.g. in smaller/narrower tunnels.
  • the need of space for the transport equipment compared with a solution having a single articulation (having only one centre articulation between the front/rear body) is illustrated in Fig. 5 in such a way that the outer broken lines 20 and 21 illustrate the need of space in the prior art (inner side of the curve), and the broken line 22 illustrates the need of space in the solution according to the invention, on the side of the inner curve (thus, the inner broken line 22 illustrates the need of space in the solution according to the invention when turning).
  • the solution according to the invention takes a smaller space when turning than, for example, a solution without two intermediate articulations but only a single centre articulation between the rear body and the front body.
  • the broken lines 23 and 24 on the outer side of the curve illustrate the movement of the transport equipment according to the invention (i.e. the path 23 of the rear edge of the platform and the path 24 of the front edge of the front body).
  • the wheels can also be provided with other sensors needed, such as sensors for measuring the rotary movement or the inclination.
  • sensors for measuring the rotary movement or the inclination In the articulated transport equipment according to the inven- tion, information obtained from these sensors can be utilized in computing the deflection angles of the wheels in the rear body.
  • the motor of the articulated transport equipment according to the invention can be an electric motor, an internal combustion engine, a hydraulic motor, or any other device for generating a rotational moment.
  • the power transmission of the transport equipment may include a gear system as well as the necessary cardan axles, differential gears, and other power transmission equipment for transferring a rotational moment from the motor to the traction wheels.
  • the transport equipment can be equipped with a control system comprising at least a first control unit configured to control actuators in the transport equipment for controlling and operating the machine.
  • the articulated transport equipment according to the invention can be provided with a data transmission unit, by means of which the first control unit can set up a data transmission connection to a second control unit outside the transport equipment.
  • the second control unit can be located, for example, in a control room which can be arranged outside the mine.
  • the first control unit and the second control unit can be computers or processors equipped with appropriate software.
  • the first control unit and the second control unit can also comprise a route determining unit or route determining soft- ware.
  • the transport equipment can generally refer to various types of equipment which are used for rock excavation in a surface or underground production area and which can also be used elsewhere than in actual mines.
  • the turning of the steerable wheels in the rear body can be implemented, according to the use embodiment, for example hydraulically, mechanically, or electronically.
  • the articulated transport equipment according to the invention is designed in such a way that the transport equipment enables modular design.
  • the front body part and the rear body part, as well as the middle part of the body can be configured to be compatible with each other, and dimensioned according to various purposes.
  • different rear body parts can be connected to a similar front body part of the transport equipment.
  • the platform of the articulated transport equipment according to the invention can be dimensioned according to various purposes.
  • the suspension of the articulated transport equipment according to the inven- tion can be implemented, for example, by providing the front axle of the transport equipment with springs.
  • an extremely good load bearing capacity is achieved with respect to the space required for turning in a mining tunnel.
  • the articulated transport equipment according to the invention moves in curves in a serpent-like manner, and the manoeuvrability and logical manageability of the transport equipment are very good.
  • the load can readily be distributed evenly between the axles,
  • the articulated transport equipment according to the invention also has very good stability.
  • the centre of gravity of the articulated transport equipment according to the invention is extremely good also in the jack-knife position, which prevents the transport equipment from falling over.
  • the rear body of the transport equipment is provided with wheels which are not steerable, or that the rear body comprises only one axle on which the wheels are mounted.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Combustion & Propulsion (AREA)
  • Transportation (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Architecture (AREA)
  • Structural Engineering (AREA)
  • Steering-Linkage Mechanisms And Four-Wheel Steering (AREA)

Abstract

The present invention relates to articulated transport equipment suitable for the transportation of rock material, intended for use particularly in mines and excavations, the transport equipment comprising a mobile transport equipment body (1) provided with a platform (11) for the storage and transport of rock material, the body (1) consisting of a front body (2), a rear body (3) and a middle body (4) connecting the front body and the rear body, and the body of the transport equipment comprising a plurality of wheels (8 to 10), of which at least one is a traction wheel, and the middle body (4) being provided with at least two articulations (6, 7), by which the rear body and the front body are connected to the middle body in such a way that they can pivot with respect to the middle body, in which transport equipment the middle body (4) is provided between the front body and the rear body, and the platform (11) is provided in the rear body for maximizing the load bearing capacity of the transport equipment, and the steering of the transport equipment is implemented such that the front body part and the rear body part are steered in a way dependent on or independent of each other to pivot at desired angles about articulations (6, 7) arranged in the middle body by means of actuators (13 to 16) connecting the middle body to the rear body and the front body.

Description

ARTICULATED TRANSPORT EQUIPMENT SUITABLE FOR TRANSPORTING ROCK MATERIAL
Field of the invention
Ί ne invention relates to transporting equipment for transporting excavated rock material in mines and excavations, the transporting equipment being provided with articulated steering.
Background of the invention
In underground and surface excavation, various types of mobile mining machines are used, such as loading and transport equipment, and equipment needed for rock drilling. By using various rock drilling rigs, rock is drilled and rOGi 'materiai is^¾xbaVated. In underground excavation, the rock material produced by rock drilling, for example ore material, has to be removed from the mine rfor further; refining. For removing the rock material, it isj possible to use rail transport or railless transport by mining machines whic is increasingly popular and. suitable for various uses. Surface excavation, too, presents vari- ous transport needs relating to the removal of excavated rock material.
Minifig machines employed in the removal of excavated rock material include loading and transport, equipment. In mine and underground excavation, the most commoh' loading ' equipment includes loaders, for example LHD (Load Haul Dump) loaders that load the rock material from an excavation into their bucket and then transport it further to a given location, a loading point, for loading. In the loading point of the mine, said loaders load the rock material to a crusher, a transport wagon, a conveyor belt, or to railless transport equipment, such as a dump truck.
Transport equipment designed for mines and undergrbund0excavatioh are common mining machines used for railless removal of rock material. Typical transport equipment includes articulated or fixed-body transport equipment. Typically, articulated transport equipment of prior art is;t 0-ax¾1^0r'th!re'€i-a->(i§ transport equipment, having typically a body with one intermediate articulation rotating about a vertical axle. The fixed-body transport equipment of prior art is typically transport equipment with three or more axles, wherein one or more of the axles can be steering axles.
However, transport equipment (dump trucks) is also known, in which the body solution of the transport equipment is such that it comprises a front body and a rear body, a middle body, the middle body comprising a tipping platform mounted on it, and the front body and the rear body being articulated by verti- cal axles to be pivotable with respect to the middle body. One such solution is presented in US 2013/0126256 A1.
In mines and underground excavation, a high load bearing capacity is generally required of the transport equipment in order to be able to remove the rock material as efficiently as possible. On the other hand, the transport equipment should be designed such that it can conveniently move and turn in the relatively narrow mining tunnels.
A disadvantage of the current prior art transport equipment solutions is that their load bearing capacity is not sufficient in relation to the space required for turning in a mining tunnel. For example, with the transport equipment according to the above-presented document, the stability may become a problem with larger platforms, and on the other hand, the loading capacity is limited to 60 tons. At the same time, the turning angle is very limited in the solution according to the publication. In some cases, the transport equipment of the state of the art may even topple in a jack-knife position when turning. Furthermore, in any case, the solution in which the platform is arranged in the middle of the transport equipment is disadvantageous or it cannot be used at all for tipping the load in some locations, because the tipping is performed to the side, and this is not possible in locations where the tipping should take place in such a way that the platform is lifted up and tipping backwards.
Furthermore, in prior art transport equipment, the body structure or at least the platform has to be designed separately or resigned for different sizes Of transport equipment, and similar body structures cannot be utilized in transport equipment with different loading capacities. In mines and underground as well as surface excavation, there is a clear need and demand for new types of transport equipment solutions which can be used to achieve a sufficient load bearing capacity and to reduce the space required for turning in a mining tunnel.
Brief summary of the invention
It is an aim of the present invention to provide novel articulated transport equipment (dump truck) for avoiding the problems and drawbacks present in the state of the art.
The transport equipment according to the invention, suitable for removing excavated rock material, is characterized in that a middle body is arranged between the front body and the rear body, and that a platform is arranged in the rear body for maximizing the load bearing capacity of the transport equipment, and that the control of the transport equipment is implemented, for minimizing the space required for turning, in such a way that the front body part and the rear body part can be controlled in a way dependent on or independent of each other to pivot by a desired angle about articulations arranged in the middle body by actuators, the actuators connecting the middle body to the front body and the rear body.
An improved solution for articulated transport equipment is now provided. Some preferred embodiments of the invention are disclosed in the dependent claims.
The present invention provides several advantages, which become more apparent in the detailed description. Contrary to the solutions of prior art, the articulated transport equipment according to the invention provides a very good load bearing capacity up to 90 tons and possibly even more. Furthermore, a small space for turning is made possible, i.e: a small turning radius in a mining tunnel. The wheelbase of the transport equipment can be increased without affecting the turning, and in this way, a more even weight distribution between the axles can be achieved.
The articulated transport equipment according to the invention is also very stable and has a good intermediate of gravity when the transport vehicle is turning or is in a so-called jack-knife position, and this is an efficient way to prevent the transport vehicle from falling over.
Brief description of the figures
Some embodiments of the invention are now described in more detail in connection with some preferred embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 shows a structure of articulated transport equipment according to the invention;
Figure 2 illustrates, as seen from above, transport equipment according to an embodiment of the invention, and the articulation of the front body and the rear body of the transport equipment with respect to the middle body, and the fastening of the actuators to the body parts;
Figure 3 illustrates, as seen from above, the articulation of the body parts with respect to each other when transport equipment according to an embodiment of the invention is turning;
Figures 4 to 5 illustrate, as seen from above, the need of space for prior art transport equipment according to the state of art and for articulated transport equipment according to an embodiment of the invention, equipped with a plat- form, when turning to the right.
Detailed description of an embodiment of the invention with reference to the drawings ;
Figure 1 shows (in a side view) articulated transport equipment according to the invention, suitable for transporting rock material and intended for use particularly in mines and excavations. As shown in the figure, the transport equipment comprises a chassis 1 for movable transport equipment, comprising a front body 2, a rear body 3, and a middle body 4 connecting the front body and the rear body, the chassis of the transport equipment comprising several wheels 8 to 10, at least one of them being a traction wheel. As shown in the figure, a cabin for the transport vehicle 17 is arranged in the front body, and a power source, such as an internal combustion engine or an electric motor, is also provided in the front body, but the power source is not shown in the figure. However, the power source can be provided in the middle body or in the rear body as well. Furthermore, the rear body of the transport equipment is equipped with a platform 11 , for example a backward tipping platform for transporting rock material. However, the tipping platform can also be of a side tipping type. The middle body of the transport equipment is arranged between the front body and the rear body, and the middle body 4 is equipped with at least two vertical articulations 6, 7, by which the rear body and the front body are connected to the middle body in such a way that they can rotate with respect to the middle body, as can be seen in Fig. 1. The rear body is provided with a platform 11 for transporting rock material, and the platform 11 can be designed so that it (or its end 11') extends for example totally or in part over the middle body or even the front body. The shape and the size of the platform will depend on the application in question. The steering of the transport equipment according to the invention is implemented in such a way that the front body 2 and the rear body 3 can be steered in a way dependent on or independent of each other to pivot (as shown in Fig. 1) by a desired angle about intermediate articulations 6, 7 fitted in the middle body 4 by actuators 3 to 16, the actuators connecting the middle body to the front body and the rear body. The actuators which make the pivoting possible, and their function, are shown in more detail in Figs. 2 to 4.
Figure 2 illustrates, in a top view, the fastening of the front body 2 and the rear body 3 of the articulated transport equipment according to an embodiment of the invention by articulations 6, 7 to the middle body 4. The figure also illustrates actuators 13 to 16, such as hydraulic cylinders, by which the front body and the rear body can be pivoted with respect to the middle body.
In a situation shown in the figure, the articulated transport Vehicle is driven and proceeds straight ahead. When driving the articulated transport equipment according to the invention straight ahead, the front body part 2 and the rear body part 3 of the transport equipment move straight ahead, one after the other, and thus the front axle 10' and the rear axle 8' of the transport equipment are transverse to the travel direction of the transport equipment.
When driving straight ahead, the rear body 3 of the transport equipment follows directly behind front body 2 and the middle body 4 of the transport equip- ment moving one after the other. Thus, the steerable wheels 8 in the rear bod follow the direction of movement in such a way that their axle 8' is transverse to the travel direction of the transport equipment. Reference numeral 9' indicates the axle of the middle wheels of the transport equipment.
One or more actuators 13 to 16 are arranged on one side or both sides of the middle body to enable the articulated steering, and one or more fastening points (13' to 16'), such as connecting lugs, are provided on both sides of the middle body, to which fastening points said one or more actuators on the same side of the middle body are fastened. The other ends of the actuators are connected to fastening points in the front body and the rear body,; marked in a cor- responding manner with reference numerals 13" to 16".
The actuators can be hydraulic actuators, electric actuators, or mechanical actuators; or Combinations of these.
The operation of the actuators for turning the transport equipment is shown in more detail in Fig. 3.
Figure 3 illustrates, as seen from above, progress of the articulated transport equipment according to an embodiment of the invention when the transport equipment is turned or driven to the left. When the articulated transport equipment according to the invention is turned to the left, the transport equipment turns in such a way that the front body part 2 of the transport equipment is turned by the actuators 13 to 16 (for example, by a longitudinal movement of hydraulic pistons) to the left, seen from above (i.e. counter-clockwise), about the articulation 7 with respect to the middle body part 4. Thus, the front axle 10' of the transport equipment has turned to the left, counter-clockwise when seen from above, and in a corresponding manner, the middle body 4 is also turned to the left, around the articulation 6 with respect to the rear body 3, by means of actuators, as can be seen in the figure. Reference numeral 12 indicates a fastening part arranged in the front body, the articulation 7 being arranged in the fastening part. The rear body 3 comprises two or more wheels 8 which can be arranged to be steerable or traction wheels, or to be both steerable and traction wheels. As shown in the figure, the rear body comprises four wheels 8, 9, of which the rearmost wheels 8 are steerable, i.e. they can be turned; consequently, when the front body or the rear body or both of them are turned in relation to the middle body, the steerable wheels (i.e. either their axle 8' or axle shafts) are steered to turn simultaneously. The rear body of the articulated transport equipment according to the invention is steered to proceed along the path of the transport equipment; in other words, it is configured to move with the front body part of the transport equipment in such a way that the articulated transport equipment does not require as much space as conventional transport equipment comprising a platform when turning.
The transport equipment may comprise a control/computing unit for controlling the actuators, by means of which unit the steerable wheels or the axles or axle shafts of the steerable wheels of the transport equipment are controlled to turn at a desired angle when the front body and the rear body pivot with respect to the middle body. The pivoting of the front body and the rear body with respect to the middle body for turning the transport equipment, as well as the turning of the steerable axle or axle shaft in the rear body, can be automated.
Figures 4 to 5 illustrate, as seen from above, the need of space for articulated transport equipment according to an embodiment of the invention, equipped with a transport platform, when turning to the right (e.g. in a mining tunnel).
Figure 4 shows that when beginning to turn, the platform first remains almost straight in the solution according to the invention, contrary to the solution of prior art whose platform is denoted with a broken line (solution with a single articulation): the platform starts to turn earlier as the front body turns, and as a result, the platform touches the wall of the tunnel as indicated by the reference numeral 18 denoting the wall of the tunnel. With the solution according to the invention, it is possible to avoid such contact with the wall, and the rear edge of the platform 11 is, in the embodiment according to the invention, spaced from the wall of the tunnel. The rear body of the transport equipment follows the front body of the transport equipment and turns slightly to the left with respect to the previous direction of movement. When turning, the steerable wheels of the articulated transport equipment according to the invention are controlled to turn with the articulated steering in such a way that the need of space can be minimized in the turn.
Thus, thanks to the solution according to the invention, the articulated transport equipment equipped with the platform does not require so much space when turning; in other words, it is capable of turning e.g. in smaller/narrower tunnels. The need of space for the transport equipment compared with a solution having a single articulation (having only one centre articulation between the front/rear body) is illustrated in Fig. 5 in such a way that the outer broken lines 20 and 21 illustrate the need of space in the prior art (inner side of the curve), and the broken line 22 illustrates the need of space in the solution according to the invention, on the side of the inner curve (thus, the inner broken line 22 illustrates the need of space in the solution according to the invention when turning). As can be seen in the figure, the solution according to the invention takes a smaller space when turning than, for example, a solution without two intermediate articulations but only a single centre articulation between the rear body and the front body. In a corresponding manner, the broken lines 23 and 24 on the outer side of the curve illustrate the movement of the transport equipment according to the invention (i.e. the path 23 of the rear edge of the platform and the path 24 of the front edge of the front body).
In the solution according to the invention, the wheels can also be provided with other sensors needed, such as sensors for measuring the rotary movement or the inclination. In the articulated transport equipment according to the inven- tion, information obtained from these sensors can be utilized in computing the deflection angles of the wheels in the rear body.
The motor of the articulated transport equipment according to the invention can be an electric motor, an internal combustion engine, a hydraulic motor, or any other device for generating a rotational moment. The power transmission of the transport equipment may include a gear system as well as the necessary cardan axles, differential gears, and other power transmission equipment for transferring a rotational moment from the motor to the traction wheels. Furthermore, the transport equipment can be equipped with a control system comprising at least a first control unit configured to control actuators in the transport equipment for controlling and operating the machine. Furthermore, the articulated transport equipment according to the invention can be provided with a data transmission unit, by means of which the first control unit can set up a data transmission connection to a second control unit outside the transport equipment. The second control unit can be located, for example, in a control room which can be arranged outside the mine. The first control unit and the second control unit can be computers or processors equipped with appropriate software. The first control unit and the second control unit can also comprise a route determining unit or route determining soft- ware. It should be noted that the transport equipment can generally refer to various types of equipment which are used for rock excavation in a surface or underground production area and which can also be used elsewhere than in actual mines. In the articulated transport equipment according to the invention, the turning of the steerable wheels in the rear body can be implemented, according to the use embodiment, for example hydraulically, mechanically, or electronically.
The articulated transport equipment according to the invention is designed in such a way that the transport equipment enables modular design. In the articulated transport equipment according to the invention, the front body part and the rear body part, as well as the middle part of the body can be configured to be compatible with each other, and dimensioned according to various purposes. Thus, different rear body parts can be connected to a similar front body part of the transport equipment. In a corresponding manner, the platform of the articulated transport equipment according to the invention can be dimensioned according to various purposes.
The suspension of the articulated transport equipment according to the inven- tion can be implemented, for example, by providing the front axle of the transport equipment with springs.
By means of the articulated transport equipment according to the invention, an extremely good load bearing capacity is achieved with respect to the space required for turning in a mining tunnel. The articulated transport equipment according to the invention moves in curves in a serpent-like manner, and the manoeuvrability and logical manageability of the transport equipment are very good. In the articulated transport equipment according to the invention, the load can readily be distributed evenly between the axles, The articulated transport equipment according to the invention also has very good stability. The centre of gravity of the articulated transport equipment according to the invention is extremely good also in the jack-knife position, which prevents the transport equipment from falling over.
It will be obvious for a person skilled in the art that with technological develop- ments, the basic idea of the invention can be implemented in a variety of ways. Thus, the invention and its embodiments are not limited to the above-described examples but they may vary within the scope of the claims. Consequently, various features can be omitted, modified, or replaced with equivalents, and features presented in this application can be combined to provide various combinations.
Within the scope of the presented invention, it is also possible to contemplate a solution where the rear body of the transport equipment is provided with wheels which are not steerable, or that the rear body comprises only one axle on which the wheels are mounted.
Further, within the scope of the invention, it is also possible to contemplate a solution in which more middle bodies than one are provided between the front body and the rear body, articulated to each other, and are possibly even steer- able.

Claims

Claims
1. Articulated transport equipment suitable for the transportation of rock material, intended for use particularly in mines and excavations, the transport equipment comprising a mobile transport equipment body (1 ) provided with a platform (11 ) for the storage and transport of rock material, the body (1) consisting of a front body (2), a rear body (3) and a middle body (4) connecting the front body and the rear body, and the body of the transport equipment comprising a plurality of wheels (8 to 10), of which at least one is a traction wheel, and the middle body (4) being provided with at least two articulations (6, 7), by which the rear body and the front body are connected to the middle body in such a way that they can rotate with respect to the middle body, c h a r a c - t e r i z e d in that the middle body (4) is provided between the front body and the rear body, and that the platform (11 ) is provided in the rear body for max- imizing the load bearing capacity of the transport equipment, and that the steering of the transport equipment is implemented such that the front body part and the rear body part are steered in a way dependent oh or independent of each other to pivot about articulations (6, 7) fitted in the middle body at desired angles by means of actuators (13 to 16) connecting the middle body to the rear body and the front body.
2. The transport equipment according to claim 1 , c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that for the turning of the mining unit, the pivoting of the front body (2) and the rear body (3) with respect to the middle body (4) is phased.
3. The transport equipment according to any of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the rear body (3) is provided with two Or more wheels (8) which are provided to be steerable or traction wheels, or both steerable and traction wheels.
4. The transport equipment according to any of the preceding claims, c h a r - a ct e r i z e d in that the front body (2) is provided with two or more wheels (10) which are arranged to be steerable or traction wheels, or both steerable and traction wheels.
5. The transport equipment according to any of the preceding claims, c h a r- acterized in that the steerable wheels are steered to turn simultaneously when the front body (2) or the rear body (3) or both of them pivot with respect to the middle body.
6. The transport equipment according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the transport equipment comprises a control/computing unit for controlling the actuators (13 to 16), by means of which unit the steerable wheels or the axles or axle shafts (8') of the steerable wheels of the transport equipment are controlled to turn a desired angle as the front body and the rear body pivot with respect to the middle body.
7. The transport equipment according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the pivoting of the front body and the fear body with respect to the middle body is synchronized.
8. The transport equipment according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that When the front body pivots with respect to the middle body, the steerable wheels or the axles or axle shafts of the steerable wheels turn as well.
9. The transport equipment according to any of the preceding claims, c h a r - a c t e r i z e d in that one or more actuators (13 to 16) are provided on one side or both sides of the middle body to enable the articulated steering.
10. The transport equipment according to any of the preceding claims, c ha rac t e r i z e d in that one or more fastening points (13', 14', 15', 16') are provided on both sides of the middle body, to which points one or more actuators on the same side of the middle body are fastened.
11. The transport equipment according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the actuators are hydraulic actuators, electric actuators or mechanical actuators, or combinations of these.
12. The transport equipment according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the platform (11) is so designed that it extends in whole or in part over the middle body or the front body.
13. The transport equipment according to any of the preceding claims, characterized in that the transport equipment comprises a device or devices for facilitating reversing of the transport equipment.
14. The transport equipment according to any of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the pivoting of the front body and the rear body with respect to the middle body for turning the transport equipment is automated.
PCT/FI2013/051111 2013-11-27 2013-11-27 Articulated transport equipment suitable for transporting rock material WO2015079097A1 (en)

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Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
IT201800003858A1 (en) * 2018-03-22 2019-09-22 Tech Holding Srl VEHICLE
WO2022056579A1 (en) * 2020-09-17 2022-03-24 Bis Industries Limited An underground truck

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3305039A (en) * 1964-09-18 1967-02-21 Eaton Yale & Towne Double articulated tractor shovel
US4064959A (en) * 1975-12-01 1977-12-27 Caterpillar Tractor Co. Steering arrangement for a double articulated wheel tractor
US4090627A (en) * 1976-04-23 1978-05-23 Pyott-Boone Machinery Corporation Scoop car
US4431363A (en) * 1982-03-12 1984-02-14 J.I. Case Company Articulated material handling machine
NL9400578A (en) * 1994-04-12 1995-11-01 Koninkl Nooteboom Trailers Bv Extendable vehicle
US5899292A (en) * 1994-05-04 1999-05-04 Paul; Lowell Allan Hydraulic drive and steering systems for a vehicle
GB2390348A (en) * 2002-11-22 2004-01-07 Denby Transp Ltd Interlinking trailer steering arrangement
CN102767392A (en) * 2012-07-16 2012-11-07 中国煤炭科工集团太原研究院 Carrying scraper with trailer

Patent Citations (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3305039A (en) * 1964-09-18 1967-02-21 Eaton Yale & Towne Double articulated tractor shovel
US4064959A (en) * 1975-12-01 1977-12-27 Caterpillar Tractor Co. Steering arrangement for a double articulated wheel tractor
US4090627A (en) * 1976-04-23 1978-05-23 Pyott-Boone Machinery Corporation Scoop car
US4431363A (en) * 1982-03-12 1984-02-14 J.I. Case Company Articulated material handling machine
NL9400578A (en) * 1994-04-12 1995-11-01 Koninkl Nooteboom Trailers Bv Extendable vehicle
US5899292A (en) * 1994-05-04 1999-05-04 Paul; Lowell Allan Hydraulic drive and steering systems for a vehicle
GB2390348A (en) * 2002-11-22 2004-01-07 Denby Transp Ltd Interlinking trailer steering arrangement
CN102767392A (en) * 2012-07-16 2012-11-07 中国煤炭科工集团太原研究院 Carrying scraper with trailer

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
IT201800003858A1 (en) * 2018-03-22 2019-09-22 Tech Holding Srl VEHICLE
WO2022056579A1 (en) * 2020-09-17 2022-03-24 Bis Industries Limited An underground truck

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