GB2266739A

GB2266739A - Mineral cutter pick box

Info

Publication number: GB2266739A
Application number: GB9309460A
Authority: GB
Inventors: William Albert Pearce; Roger Harold Creasey
Original assignee: CONFLOW Ltd
Current assignee: CONFLOW Ltd
Priority date: 1992-05-09
Filing date: 1993-05-07
Publication date: 1993-11-10
Also published as: GB9309460D0; GB9210020D0

Abstract

A pick box 1 for a mineral cutter pick 2 comprising an aperture 3 adapted, in use, to receive a headed sleeve 4 having a bore 5 to receive a shank 6 of the pick 2 a pair of spaced apart apertures 7 provided in the box 1 to receive the limbs of a generally "U"-shaped staple 9 to engage a circumferential external groove 10 in the sleeve 4 whereby the sleeve 4 is releasably retainable in the box 1, and a spray head 12 welded into position on a portion of the box 1, with a spray nozzle 13 inserted into a receiving aperture 14 in the spray head 12 and releasably retained therein by an insertable and removable generally "U"-shaped staple 15. <IMAGE>

Description

MINERAL CUTTER PICK BOX ETC.

This invention relates to a pick box for a mineral cutter pick, to a pick and box combination, and to a cutting drum incorporating such pick boxes or combinations.

Mineral such as coal is excavated from longwall faces by a machine which has a rotating drum with up to fifty picks which "shears" the coal from the seam. Traditionally the picks are releasably retained in pick boxes so that they can be maintained or replaced with relative ease, when worn or damaged. A water spray head incorporating a spray nozzle is normally fixed into position adjacent each pick box so that water can be directed towards the tip for various purposes such as dust suppression, pre-start warning, and inc endive sparking elimination. To allow for possible misalignment between spray head and pick tip, the spray emitted by the spray nozzle is usually spread into a cone, in contrast to a coherent jet, with an included angle between 200 and 500.

Inevitably the sprays become blocked by debris and require removal for cleaning and/or replacement, and in recent times proposals have been made for a spray that avoids screw thread in view of the propensity for rusting in mine conditions.

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a pick box for a mineral cutter pick comprising an aperture adapted, in use, to receive a sleeve having a bore to receive a shank of the pick, a pair of spaced apart apertures provided in the box to receive the limbs of a generally "U"-shaped staple to engage a circumferential external groove in the sleeve whereby the sleeve is releasably retainable in the box, and a spray head welded into position on a portion of the box, with a spray nozzle inserted into a receiving aperture in the spray head and releasably retained therein by. an insertable and removable generally "U"-shaped staple.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided, in combination, a mineral cutter pick and pick box, the pick having a shank located in a sleeve, a retaining means between the shank and the sleeve, and the pick box having both an aperture to receive the sleeve and a pair of spaced apart apertures to receive the limbs of an insertable and removable generally "U"-shaped staple to engage a circumferential external groove in the sleeve whereby the sleeve is releasably retained in the box, and an integral spray head welded into position on a portion of the box, with a spray nozzle inserted into a receiving aperture in the spray head and releasably retained therein by an insertable and removable generally U"-shaped staple.

A third aspect of the invention is directed to a cutting drum provided with a plurality of pick boxes in accordance with the first aspect, or a plurality of pick and box combinations in accordance with the second aspect.

The invention thus provides a pick box in which the orientation of the spray head, and hence the spray nozzle, with respect to the pick is effected in the factory and hence is accurate, whilst the retention of the spray nozzle by a staple avoids troublesome screw threads as the staple may be easily removed in mine conditions by a simple tool such as a screwdriver, for cleaning and replacement, as is the staple to retain the sleeve, with the staple(s) replaced with equal ease as a push- in or knock-in fit.

Preferably, the pick shank is free to rotate within the sleeve, while the staple retaining the sleeve does not necessarily allow the sleeve to rotate in the box.

Conveniently, the box has a chamfered indentation to permit access for e.g. a screwdriver, to be used to prise out the sleeve staple. This indent is preferably in both sides of the body. Preferably, a second indent is also incorporated into the pick box, to assist in removal of the sleeve, should the latter need replacement through wear or damage. This is particularly useful when the pick has been broken off level with the top of the sleeve and it becomes very difficult to knock the sleeve out from the staple end. It is also preferred for a base of the pick box to be rounded to allow it to be welded at a selected angle on a conventionally-provided face side ring of the associated cutting drum.

Preferably, the box is elongate having a rearward heel portion where the spray head is located for emitting a generally forwardly directed water spray to the so-called incendive sparking zone. The box is also preferably slightly tapered from the pick end to the heel portion. This protects the spray head from damage and allows the coal to flow, generally unrestricted, past the box. Conveniently, the heel of the box is rounded to prevent protrusions when the box is positioned on the conventionally-provided vane scroll of the drum.

Finally, it is preferred for the heel of the box to extend above the spray head to protect the spray head from damage.

The various aspects of the invention will now be described in greater detail, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which; Figure 1 is a side elevation of pick box in accordance with the first aspect, and pick and box combination in accordance with the second aspect; Figure 2 is a front elevation of Figure 1; and Figure 3 is an underneath plan view of Figure 1.

A pick box 1 for a mineral cutter pick 2 comprising an aperture 3 adapted, in use, to receive a headed sleeve 4 having a bore 5, to receive a shank 6 of the pick 2. A pair of spaced apart apertures 7 are provided in the box l to receive the limbs 8 of a generally "U"-shaped staple 9 to engage a circumferential external groove 10 in the sleeve 4 whereby the sleeve is releasably retainable in the box 1. The box 1 is elongate having a rearward heel portion 11 defining an 'L'-shaped seat where a spray head 12 is welded into position. A spray nozzle 13 is inserted into a receiving aperture 1 in the spray head 12 and releasably retained therein by an insertable and removable generally "U" -shaped staple 15.

'The box l has a chamfered indent 16 in both sides to permit access for e.g. a screwdriver, to be used to prise out the sleeve staple 9. A second indent 17 is also incorporated into the pick box, to assist in removal of the sleeve 4, should the latter need replacement through wear or damage. A base 18 of the pick box 1 is rounded to allow it to be welded at a selected angle on a conventionally-provided face side ring of the associated cutting drum (not shown).

The location of spray head 12 on the rearward heel portion 11 results in the emission generally forwardly directed water spray cone 19 to the so-called incendive sparking zone 20 behind the pick 2. The box 1 is also preferably slightly tapered from the pick end to the heel portion 11. The heel portion 11 of the pick box 1 is also at 21 rounded to prevent protrusions when the box is positioned on the conventionally-provided vane scroll of the drum. Also the heel portion 11 of the box extends above the spray head 12 at 22 to protect the spray head from damage.

The shank 6 has a circumferential groove 23 in which is located a retaining means (not shown) in the form of a split spring steel ring for frictional engagement with the bore 5, while the pick 2 has a carbide tip 24.

Claims

1. A pick box for a mineral cutter pick comprising an aperture adapted, in use, to receive a sleeve having a bore to receive a shank of the pick, a pair of spaced apart apertures provided in the box to receive the limbs of a generally "U"-shaped staple to engage a circumferential external groove in the sleeve whereby the sleeve is releasably retainable in the box, and a spray head welded into position on a portion of the box, with a spray nozzle inserted into a receiving aperture in the spray head and releasably retained therein by an insertable and removable generally "U1,-shaped staple.

2. A pick box as in claimed in Claim 1, wherein the box is elongate having a rearward heel portion where the spray head is located for emitting a generally forwardly directed water spray to the so-called incendive sparking zone.

3. A pick box as claimed in Claim 2, which is slightly tapered from the pick end to the heel portion.

4. A pick box as claimed in Claim 2 or Claim 3, wherein the heel of the box is rounded.

5. A pick box as claimed in any one of Claims 2 to 4, wherein the heel of the box extends above the spray head.

6. A pick box substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

7. In combination, a mineral cutter pick and pick box, the pick having a shank located in a sleeve, a retaining means between the shank and the sleeve, and the pick box having both an aperture to receive the sleeve and a pair of spaced apart apertures to receive the limbs of an insertable and removable generally "U"-shaped staple to engage a circumferential external groove in the sleeve whereby the sleeve is releasably retained in the box, and an integral spray head welded into position on a portion of the box, with a spray nozzle inserted into a receiving aperture in the spray head and releasably retained therein by an insertable and removable generally "U"-shaped staple.

8. The combination of Claim 7, wherein the box has a chamfered indentation to permit access for e.g. a screwdriver, to be used to prise out the sleeve staple.

9. The combination of Claim 8 wherein an indent is provided in both sides of the body.

10. The combination as claimed in Claim 8 or 9, wherein a second indent is also incorporated into the pick box, to assist in removal of the sleeve, should the latter need replacement through wear or damage.

11. The combination of any one of Claims 7 to 10, wherein a base of the pick box is rounded.

12. The combination substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

13. A mineral cutting drum provided with a plurality of pick boxes as defined in any one of Claims 1 to 6.

14. A mineral cutting drum provided with a plurality of pick and box combinations as defined in any one of Claims 7 to 12.