AU2021221770A1

AU2021221770A1 - Conveyance rope guide gripper assembly

Info

Publication number: AU2021221770A1
Application number: AU2021221770A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Joseph O'connor
Original assignee: Far West Primary Ind Pty Ltd
Current assignee: Far West Primary Industries Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2021-08-25
Filing date: 2021-08-25
Publication date: 2023-03-16
Also published as: WO2023023765A1

Abstract

A gripper assembly 10 for a rope guided conveyance comprises a housing 12 and a pair of spring loaded wedges 14. The gripper assembly 10 is to be mounted to the external side wall of a conveyance 100 having rope guides 102. In the event of a loss of tension from a pulling cable or cables 110, the wedges 14 are released and are biased to move towards each other to grip a rope guide 102 therebetween to prevent movement of conveyance downwards. The gripper assembly 10 thus acts as a backup stop safety assembly. 14 56 10 120 600 (d)jci8 14 0 (c) oH60 I o ILtIJ 0_I niTr~ 70 7 (b) 0I I I _L Q L LOQ T~ 80 FIGURE 1

Description

56

10

120

600

(d)jci8

14

0 (c)

oH60 I o (b) 0I niTr~ ILtIJ 0_I 70 7

I I _L Q L LOQT~ 80

FIGURE 1

CONVEYANCE ROPE GUIDE GRIPPER ASSEMBLY

Field of the Invention

[1] The present invention relates to a gripper assembly for rope guided conveyance. The invention is primarily intended for conveyance in mining applications but is not limited to this use.

Background of the Invention

[2] Conveyances are used in the mining industry in vertical shafts for mining and underground tunnelling applications. Conveyances can be thought of as loading stations (similar to elevators) and are used to move materials as well as personnel. The conveyance is stabilized with fixed guides, rope guides, or in the case of some emergency systems are unguided.

[3] The present invention seeks to overcome or substantially ameliorate at least some of the deficiencies of the prior art, or to at least provide an alternative.

[4] It is to be understood that, if any prior art information is referred to herein, such reference does not constitute an admission that the information forms part of the common general knowledge in the art, in Australia or any other country.

Summary of the Invention

[5] According to a first aspect, the present invention provides a gripper assembly for a rope guided conveyance, the gripper assembly comprising:

a housing to be mounted to an external side wall of a conveyance, the housing having a tapered internal cavity,

a pair of wedges disposed within the internal cavity, the wedges to be disposed on either side of a rope guide, wherein downwards movement of the housing relative to the wedges moves the wedges towards each other to grip the rope guide therebetween.

[6] Preferably, the housing comprises a body having a front wall, sidewalls extending rearwardly from edges of the front wall, and attachment flanges extending from the side walls, the front wall and the sidewalls defining the internal cavity therebetween, wherein internal surfaces of the sidewalls are angled toward each other in the upward vertical direction.

[7] Preferably, the internal cavity includes an open lower end and an open upper and.

[8] Preferably, each wedge includes an elongated body having a lower end, an upper end, an internal side wall, and an external sidewall, wherein the wedge is tapered as the internal sidewall extends vertically downwardly whilst the external sidewall is angled away from the internal side wall in the downward direction.

[9] Preferably, the internal side wall of each wedge includes a concave recess extending from the lower end to the upper end, the concave recess dimensioned for gripping a side of the rope guide in use.

[10] Preferably, the concave recess includes gripping formations such as stippling, serrations or grooves.

[11] Preferably, the external side wall is angled in a complementary shape to follow the angle of the internal surfaces of the housing.

[12] Preferably, the pair of the wedges are provided in a mirror configuration to each other.

[13] Preferably, each wedge further includes an extension extending from a rear wall thereof, wherein the wedges are biased in the upward gripping direction relative to the housing via a spring engaging a lower wall of the extension.

[14] Other aspects of the invention are also disclosed.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[15] Notwithstanding any other forms which may fall within the scope of the present invention, preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of examples only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[16] Figure 1 shows a gripper assembly for a rope guide of a conveyance according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention where (a) is a perspective view, (b) is a part cross-sectional front view (c) is a part cross sectional side view and (d) is a part cross sectional top view;

[17] Figure 2 shows a housing for the gripper assembly where (a) is a perspective view, (b) is a front view (c) is a side view and (d) is a top view;

[18] Figure 3 shows a wedge for the gripper assembly where (a) is a perspective view, (b) is a front view (c) is a side view, (d) is a top view, and (e) is a top view;

[19] Figure 4 shows a drawbar assembly for a conveyance with the gripper assemblies at either end thereof where (a) is a perspective view and (b) is a front view;

[20] Figure 5 shows an example arrangement of a rope guided conveyance.

Description of Embodiments

[21] It should be noted in the following description that like or the same reference numerals in different embodiments denote the same or similar features.

[22] Figure one shows a gripper assembly 10 for a rope guided conveyance according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The gripper assembly 10 comprises a housing 12 and a pair of spring-loaded wedges 14. The gripper assembly 10 is to be mounted to the external side wall of a conveyance 100 having rope guides 102 as shown for example in Figure 5. In the event of a loss of tension from a pulling cable or cables 110, the wedges 14 are released and are biased to move towards each other to grip a rope guide 102 therebetween to prevent movement of conveyance downwards. The gripper assembly 10 thus acts as a backup stop safety assembly.

[23] The housing 12 comprises a body having a front wall 22, sidewalls 24 extending rearwardly from edges of the front wall 22, and attachment flanges 25 extending from the side walls 24. The front wall 22 and the sidewalls 24 define an internal cavity 26 therebetween. The internal cavity 26 is shaped as internal surfaces 28 of the sidewalls 24 are angled toward each other in the upward vertical direction. The internal cavity 26 includes an open lower end 30 and an open upper and 32 for the rope guide 102 to extend therethrough. The internal cavity 26 is thus shaped with tapering internal surface 28 from the open lower end 30 to the open upper end 32. In use, the housing 12 is fixed via the attachment flanges 25 to an external sidewall surface of a conveyance using bolts or similar fastener.

[24] Figure 3 shows a wedge 14 for the gripper assembly 10. The wedge 14 includes an elongated body having a lower end 42, an upper end 44, an internal side wall 46, an external sidewall 48, a front wall 50 and a rear wall 54. The wedge 14 is tapered, as the internal sidewall 46 extends vertically downwardly whilst the external sidewall 48 is angled away from the internal side wall 46 in the downward direction. The lower end 42 is thus wider than the upper end 44. The internal side wall 46 includes a concave recess 56 extending from the lower end 42 to the upper end 44. The concave recess 56 is dimensioned for gripping a side of the rope guide 102 in use and can be smooth or can have gripping formations therein such as stippling, serrations or grooves. The external side wall 48 is angled in a complementary shape to follow the angle of the internal surfaces 28 of the housing 12. In use, a pair of the wedges 14 are disposed in the housing 12 with the pair of wedges 14 being provided in a mirror configuration to each other. Each wedge 14 further includes an extension 60 extending from the rear wall 54.

[25] Referring back to Figures 1 and 2, the pair of wedges 14 are received in the internal cavity 26 off the housing 12. The external sidewalls 48 of the wedges 14 engage the tapering internal surfaces 28 of the housing 12. It can be seen that upward movement of the wedges 14 relative to the housing 12 moves the wedges 14 towards each other via engagement of the external sidewalls 48 with the internal surfaces 28. In other words, movement of the conveyance 100 with the housing 12 downwards will equate to movement of the wedges 14 upwardly relative to the housing 12. In this manner, the wedges 14 will grip the rope guide 102 to provide an emergency stop.

[26] The wedges 14 are biased in the upward (gripping) direction relative to the housing 12 via a respective spring 70 engaging a lower wall of the respective extensions 60. The springs are mounted to a shelf mount 80 of the conveyance 100. Referring to Figure 4, a drawbar 120 is used for attaching the conveyance 100 to the pulling cable(s) 110. The drawbar 120 includes rocker cams 122 at each end thereof. When there is tension in the pulling cable 110, the drawbar 120 is pulled upwardly relative to the conveyance 100 and the rocker cams 122 engage the upper wall of the extensions 60 which pushes the wedges 14 downwardly against the force of the springs 70. If tension is lost in the pulling cable(s) 110, the drawbar 120 drops down relative to the conveyance 100 and the rocker cams 122 release their engagement of the extensions 60 which causes the springs 70 to move the wedges 14 relative to the housing 12. This activates the gripping wedge is 14 to the rope guides.

[27] The invention thus provides a gripper designed to operate in a rope guided shaft. The assembly operates in a similar way to grippers for Fixed Guided shafts, that is, should tension in the winder rope be lost or somehow a conveyance "hangs" while descending.

[28] Although a preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described, it will be apparent to skilled persons that modifications can be made to the embodiment shown. There are other arrangements possible for releasing the wedges for example apart from the drawbar shown.

Claims

Claims The claims defining the invention are as follows:

1. A gripper assembly for a rope guided conveyance, the gripper assembly comprising:

2. The gripper assembly of claim 1 wherein the housing comprises a body having a front wall, sidewalls extending rearwardly from edges of the front wall, and attachment flanges extending from the side walls, the front wall and the sidewalls defining the internal cavity therebetween, wherein internal surfaces of the sidewalls are angled toward each other in the upward vertical direction.

3. The gripper assembly of claim 1 wherein the internal cavity includes an open lower end and an open upperand.

4. The gripper assembly of claim 1 wherein each wedge includes an elongated body having a lower end, an upper end, an internal side wall, and an external sidewall, wherein the wedge is tapered as the internal sidewall extends vertically downwardly whilst the external sidewall is angled away from the internal side wall in the downward direction.

5. The gripper assembly of claim 4 wherein the internal side wall of each wedge includes a concave recess extending from the lower end to the upper end, the concave recess dimensioned for gripping a side of the rope guide in use.

6. The gripper assembly of claim 5 wherein the concave recess includes gripping formations such as stippling, serrations or grooves.

7. The gripper assembly of claim 4 wherein the external side wall is angled in a complementary shape to follow the angle of the internal surfaces of the housing.

8. The gripper assembly of claim 4 wherein the pair of the wedges are provided in a mirror configuration to each other.

9. The gripper assembly of claim 4 wherein each wedge further includes an extension extending from a rear wall thereof, wherein the wedges are biased in the upward gripping direction relative to the housing via a spring engaging a lower wall of the extension.