ZA201007789B

ZA201007789B - Guide roller assembly

Info

Publication number: ZA201007789B
Application number: ZA2010/07789A
Authority: ZA
Inventors: Clement Kevin Fisher
Original assignee: Clement Kevin Fisher
Priority date: 2009-11-27
Filing date: 2010-10-29
Publication date: 2011-07-27

Description

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GUIDE ROLLER ASSEMBLY

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to guide roller assemblies, more particularly but not exclusively, to a mount for a guide roller assembly for use with mine shaft conveyances.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

Mine shafts are generally fitted with guides to ensure that there is limited contact between a mine cage for the transportation of miners and equipment and the mine shaft or the mine shaft steelwork, thereby reducing wear on the components of the cage and shaft and contributing to safety.

Guide roller assemblies used on mine shaft conveyances are well known. These assemblies run against guides, which extend the length of the mine shaft. Such roller assemblies operate under arduous conditions and must be constructed to provide a high degree of safety and efficiency, as their failure could result in the loss of human lives.

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A commonly used roller assembly, which runs on the face of the guide, comprises a spindle which is screw threaded at each end and mounted on a framework, which is secured to the mine conveyance. A wheel is mounted by means of suitable bearings on the spindle and the components clamped together between nuts fitted to each end of the spindle.

One problem with such a design is that a nut on the end of the spindle has been known to work loose by vibration when in contact with the guide and in so doing allow the roller to fall free of the roller assembly resulting in an unsafe situation.

In yet another commonly used roller assembly, the roller assembly comprises a bolt with a wheel mounted against the head of the bolt by means of a bearing assembly and having a loose collar on the bolt to secure the roller bearing and provide a mount for a rocker arm. A nut is fastened on the screw-threaded end of the bolt to secure the rocker arm, collar and bearing.

Again, the utilization of such a design has been known to cause loose components, particularly the nut, of the roller assembly to dislodge from the assembly whilst in use.

There is therefore a need for a new mount for a guide roller assembly and an assembly incomorating such a mount, which will inhibit these problems.

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of this invention to provide mount for a guide roller assembly and an assembly incorporating such a mount that will, at least partly, alleviate the above problems and provide the benefits set out above.

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SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a mount for a roller assembly, the mount including a framework comprising a pair of spaced supports each having defined therein an aperture and between which is mounted a hollow axle on which at least one roller is receivable for rotation, a bore of the axle being in register with the apertures of the supports; a headed bolt, a shaft of which is received through the apertures and the bore of the axle and held fast by means of a nut at its free end; and locking means for inhibiting inadvertent disengagement of the nut from the bolt.

The locking means may comprise a cotter pin engaged with a transverse passage in the free end of the bolt.

According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a guide roller : assembly for use on a mine cage, the assembly including a mount as hereinbefore described and having at least one roller mounted for rotation on the axle thereof, and the framework of the roller assembly being adapted for mounting on a mine cage so that the at least one roller is in rolling engagement with a guide rail of a mine shaft.

According to a third aspect of the invention there is provided a mine cage for use in an underground mine having a mine shaft including a cage guide rail, the mine cage including at least one guide roller assembly as hereinbefore described mounted on the cage such that the at least one roller of the, or each, guide roller assembly is in rolling engagement with the guide rail of the mine shaft.

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According to a fourth aspect of the invention there is provided a method for safely connecting components of a guide roller assembly, the method including providing a framework comprising a pair of spaced supports each having defined therein an aperture and between which is mounted a hollow axle on which at least one roller is receivable for rotation, a bore of the axle being in register with the apertures of the supports; receiving a headed bolt through the apertures and the bore of the axle and holding the bolt fast by means of a nut at its free end; and retaining the nut by means of a locking means to inhibit inadvertent disengagement of the nut from the bolt.

The locking means may comprise a cotter pin engageable with a transverse passage in the free end of the bolt.

In a preferred embodiment of the method of the invention, the guide roller assembly is adapted for use on a mine cage for use in an underground mine having a mine shaft including a cage guide rail, and the method includes mounting at least one guide roller assembly on the cage such that the at least one roller of the, or each, guide roller assembly is in rolling engagement with the guide rail of the mine shaft.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a partly sectional side view of a mount for a guide roller in accordance with an aspect of the invention incorporated in a guide roller assembly in accordance with another aspect of the invention;

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Figure 1A is a magnified view of a portion of Figure 1;

Figure 2 is a partly sectional plan view of a guide roller assembly mounted on a mine cage; and

Figure 3 is a partly sectional side view of the guide roller assembly of Figure 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In Figure 1, reference numeral 10 generally refers to a mount for a guide roller assembly 100, both in accordance with the invention.

The mount 10 comprises a framework 12. The framework 12 has a pair of spaced supports 14, each having defined therein an aperture 16, and a transverse base 15. The mount 10 further comprises a hollow axle 18, which is operatively positioned between the apertures 16 of the supports 14 such that the bore 19 of the axle 18 is in register with the apertures 16 of the supports 14.

A headed bolt 20 is received through the bore 19 of the hollow axle 18 and the apertures 16. The bolt 20 is held fast by means of a nut 22 at its threaded free end 24, the nut 22 being tightened against a washer 26 which abuts one of the spaced supports 14. The nut 22 is secured by means of a cotter pin (not shown), which is inserted through a transverse passage 28 proximate the free end 24 of the bolt 20.

A pair of rollers 34 is mounted on a collar 30, which is, in turn, mounted on the axle 18 by means of roller bearings 40 received in a bore 41 of the collar 30. Cap screws 39 connect the two rollers 34 to one another and secure them the collar

, IN to ensure stability. Each of the rollers 34 has a removable tyre 35 mounted thereon for rotation around the hollow axle 18.

Annular recesses at each end of the bore 41 of the collar 30 receive circlips 31, which serve to retain the roller bearings 40 in place. A pair of seal rings 32,33 received at each end of the bore 41, one seal ring 32,33 on either side of an associated circlip 31, the seal rings 32,33 engaging with one another to provide a labyrinth seal to inhibit ingress of dirt into the bearings 40. The outer seal ring 33 also acts as a thrust washer and is urged inward by a KM-type nut 42 and lock washer 44, the nut 42 being threaded onto an external thread 45 on the end of the axle 18 and securing the associated roller bearings 40 against shoulders 46,48 provided, respectively, in the bore 41 and on the outer surface of the axle 18.

As shown in Figures 2 and 3, the framework 12 of the guide roller assembly 100 may be mounted on a mine cage 38 so that the tyres 35 of the rollers 34 are in rolling engagement with a guide rail 49 of a mine shaft 50. The mine shaft 50 comprises shaft steelwork 52 fitted with guide rails 49 to ensure that the mine cage 38 used for the transportation of miners and equipment (not shown) remains steady on a desired track. The guide rails 49 are attached to the shaft steelwork 52 and an engageable channel 51 is attached to the mine cage 38. As shown in Figure 3, wear plates or slippers 58, conventionally made of bronze, are attached to inner walls of the engageable channel 51 by means of screws 57 and, as a result, direct contact between the mine cage 38 and the shaft steelwork 52 is limited.

Generally, as shown in Figures 2 and 3, the guide roller assembly 100 comprises a centre guide roller assembly 60 and two side guide rollers 62 operatively mounted to be in rolling contact with the guide rail 49 of the shaft steelwork 52.

The side guide rollers 62 are connected to pivot at 64 with respect to the base 66 of the guide roller assembly 100. The side guide rollers 62 are further secured to kL.g9010/07789Y . . the guide roller assembly 100 by suspension means 63 capable of limiting displacement of the mine cage 38 relative to the shaft steelwork 52, thereby limiting the amount of wear on the mine cage 38 and on the shaft steelwork 52.

Pivotal movement of the roller assembly 60 and rollers 62 is damped by means of suspension means 63. The centre guide roller assembly 60 is pivotally secured to the base 66 using an axle 74.

The use of a mount 10 for a roller assembly 100 in accordance with the invention reduces the risk of rollers 34 disengaging from the guide roller assembly 100 and falling down the mine shaft 50 injuring miners (not shown) and increasing the amount of shaft downtime needed for maintenance and repair. Mining accidents and shaft downtime negatively impact on the profitability of the mine.

Safety arrangements for roller assemblies described above are simple to manufacture and reduce the risk of loose components disengaging from the roller assembly and causing safety hazards or mine shaft downtime for maintenance and repair.

Claims

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1. Amount for a roller assembly, the mount including a framework comprising a pair of spaced supports each having defined therein an aperture and between which is mounted a hollow axle on which at least one roller is receivable for rotation, a bore of the axle being in register with the apertures of the supports; a headed bolt, a shaft of which is received through the apertures and the bore of the axle and held fast by means of a nut at its free end; and locking means for inhibiting inadvertent disengagement of the nut from the bolt.

2. The mount as claimed in claim 1 in which the locking means comprises a cotter pin engaged with a transverse passage in the free end of the bolt.

3. A guide roller assembly for use on a mine cage, the assembly including a mount as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 having at least one roller mounted for rotation on the axle thereof; and the framework of the roller assembly being adapted for mounting on a mine cage so that the at least one roller is in rolling engagement with a guide rail of a mine shaft.

4. A mine cage for use in an underground mine having a mine shaft including a cage guide rail, the mine cage including at least one guide roller assembly as claimed in claim 3 mounted on - the cage such that the at least one roller of the, or each, g uide roller assembly is in rolling engagement with the guide rail of the mine shaft.

5. A method for safely connecting components of a guide roller assembly, the method including providing a framework comprising a pair of spaced supports each

Co E\9010/0778Y having defined therein an aperture and between which is mounted a hollow axle on which at least one roller is receivable for rotation, a bore of the axle being in register with the apertures of the supports; receiving a headed bolt through the apertures and the bore of the axle and holding the bolt fast by means of a nut at its free end; and retaining the nut by means of a locking means to inhibit inadvertent disengagement of the nut from the bolt.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5 in which the locking means comprises a cotter pin engageable with a transverse passage in the free end of the bolt.

7. The method as claimed in claim 5 or 6 in which the guide roller assembly is adapted for use on a mine cage for use in an underground mine having a mine shaft including a cage guide rail, the method including mounting at least one guide roller assembly on the cage such that the at least one roller of the, or each, guide roller assembly is in rolling engagement with the guide rail of the mine shaft.

8. A mount for a roller assembly substantially as herein described and illustrated with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings.

9. A roller assembly substantially as herein described and illustrated with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings.

10. A mine cage for use in an underground mine having a mine shaft including a cage guide rail, the mine cage substantially as herein described and illustrated with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings.

11. A method for safely connecting components of a guide roller assembly, the . method substantially as herein described and illustrated with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings.

DATED THIS 29TH DAY OF OCTOBER 2010. il INC.

FOR THE APPLICANT