US2581052A - Haulage apparatus for mining machines - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 1, 1952 J. c. SPROUL 2,581,052

HAULAGE APPARATUS FOR MINING MACHINES Filed April 27, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet l c0 w 9 L a A =1 m 0 o W I n venior .r/k/m/ Comm 5/WO0L Attorneys Jan. 1, 1952 J. c. SPROUL A 2,581,052

HAULAGE APPARATUS FOR MINING MACHINES Filed April 2'7, 1949 I7 HUUUUWW UUUUULULU Attorney s 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jan. 1, 1952 J. c. SPROUL HAULAGE APPARATUS FOR MINING MACHINES 4 Sheets-Sheet (5 Filed April 2'7, 1949 m mm 00 mm B NIL EOE Wm, mm 2 Inventor Ja/m/ Com [1 674 004 A I I I A Attorney;

Jan. 1, 1952 J. c. SPROUL 2,581,052

HAULAGE APPARATUS FOR MINING MACHINES Filed April 27, 1949 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 F/GS.

Inventor [fa/w Gwyn/[ 67%01/4 Attorneys Patented Jan. 1, 1952 HAULAGE APPARATUS FOR- IVIININ G MACHINES John Connel Sproul, Glasgw, Sc0tland, assignor to Mavor & Coulson land , Limited, Glasgow, Scot- Application April 27, 1949, Serial No. 90,028

I In Great Britain March 25, 1946 7 Claims. (Cl. 254-135) This invention relates to haulage apparatus for machines for mining coal and other minerals, such for instance as coal cutters, which travel by means of a haulage rope as they move along the face of the mineral seam.

An object of the invention is to provide an improved gripper for a mining machine haulage rope, said gripper having jaws that exercise the gripping action under the constraint of a toggle mechanism which acts to tighten the grip with increase in the tension of the rope in one direction and to relieve the grip in the opposite direction.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved haulage assembly for use with a mining machine haulage rope, said assembly comprising a pair of grippers which are adapted to grip the rope alternately and a power unit which moves one of the grippers back-and-forth relatively to the other gripper in time with the alternate periods of movement and stoppage in the travel of the machine, each gripper automatically releasing the rope as the other grips it.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved haulage assembly for a mining machine, said assembly comprising rope grippers adapted to act alternately upon a haulage rope and a reciprocating power unit adapted to ime part working strokes to the machine, one of the grippers engaging the rope during each working stroke to provide an abutment against which the power unit reacts to advance the machine and the other gripper engaging the rope to maintain it taut Whilst the power unit forces the firstmentioned gripper to free itself and return in order to take a fresh grip of the rope. The movable gripper of a pair may be called the working gripper. and the other may be called the stop gripper.

According to the invention, in order to comply with practical requirements, the gripper or grippers is or are reversible; that is to say, the grippers can each be set in one or other of two positions respectively to suit opposite directions of travelin relation to the rope.

The power unit preferably comprises a hydraulic cylinder-and-ram unit, one component of said unit being secured to the machine or other support and the other component being secured to the Working gripper or rope. Such a unit may be designed to impart a heavy force. at slow speed during the working stroke and a lighter force at quicker speed during the return stroke- The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 isan elevation, with parts, broken away, of a coal-mining machine to which the invention is applied; Fig. 2 is a plan corresponding to Fig.

1; and Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation, the section being on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an elevation drawn to a larger scale of a gripper incorporated in the haulage assembly with which the machine is equipped. Fig. 5 is an elevation to a still larger scale of components of the gripper shown in a position diiferent from the Fig. 4 position. Fig. 6 shows a toggle of the form incorporated in each gripper. Fig. 7 is a section of the same gripper on the line ll of Fig. 4 and Fig. 8 is a corresponding end elevation of the gripper showing its cover opened.

The coal-mining machine to which the invention is shown applied by way of example belongs to a previously proposed kind having a set of coplanar cutters IO, H, l2 and I3 which function like large chisels with their edges all in the same vertical plane A (Fig. 2). These cutters include an intermediate cutter Hi which projects far ahead of the others to plough out a preliminary furrow in the coal seam B, and this cutter is associated with upper and lower cutters H, which are provided on the same heavy cutter head l4. This head also carries top and bottom cutters l2 and I3 the latter of which is associated with a shovel-like horizontal cutter I5. The cutters ll, l2 and I3 serve to strip 01f coal left outstanding above and below the intermediate furrow. The floor cutter l5 strips off and lifts coal from the floor C and deflects it sidewise to an appropriate conveyor (not shown). The machine has a similar head and cutters at the opposite end, these parts not being shown.

In Fig. 2, D indicates the face of the seam B from which coal has to be stripped along the plane A when the machine hauls itself along the face.

The cutter head I4 is connected at l 6 to a central chassis I! provided with a base plate l8 formed like a skid for movement over the mine floor C.

The haulage power is derived from a haulage unit. In the example this unit comprises an assembly of three superposed hydraulic cylinders l9, the double-acting rams of which are indicated by 20. These ramsare connected, as at 2|, to the chassis H. The cylinders l9 form the movable component of the hydraulic unit, and they are incorporated in a body 22 (Fig. 3) which is slidable between guides 23 on thechassis. Pis

ton valves controlling the supply of hydraulic liquid to the cylinders H are indicated by The other components of the hydraulic system, comprising a motor-driven pump, a reservoir for the liquid, conduits between the various components and appropriate valves, may be of conventional form and therefore are not shown. They are all incorporated in or mounted on the chassis H.

The haulage rope is indicated by- 25. It is secured at both ends to anchorages in the mine.

The haulage assembly comprises a pair of grippers, both shown in Figs. l an 2, thework ng. gripper being indicated generally" by E- and the stop gripper by F in these two views. Each of the two grippers comprises a pairof: upper: and? lower rope-gripping jaws 2B and 21 which grip; the rope 25 under the powerful action of toggle devices if the gripper tends to move in on'e'direction, namely towards theleft, in relation to the haulage rope and which automatically free the rope if the gripper moves in theother' direction; In the example, each gripper reversible, and so the toggle devices are movable-by a hand lever 23 or 29 into one or other of two settings; cor"-= responding to the respective directions of travel of the machine. The toggle devices'of each grip per-are provided as toggles 30" that are supported by wedge devices 3!- which are displaceable to cfiectcontrol of the lower'jaiw 21, including" with-- drawal' of that jaw into-an inoperative" position in which the rope 25 isremovable from the gripper-1 y In the'example', each gripper includes a casing able cover 34fitting against the bo'dyof. the'cass ing; The cover 34" is shown moved into open position in Fig; 8. The cover is attached at its upper side to pins; 35* (one only of these pins is shown) on the casing top: 'rheendsse of the lower'jawof each ripper; in the. example; is. a

single member supported by a seriesor'rourfto gles 30; The upper aw, in the example; coinprises a train offourn'ie'inbers respectivelyfbeal ing against a series of four cams 38 ('see Fig. 4)'. It is byoperation of these toggles. 30 and cams as that the jaws 2-6, 21. are constrained toi grip" the rope 25" and are permitted to' relieve. their grip. Moreover, by fulldisplacenientof the toggles 30, namely displacement into. the reclining positioniii whichcne of'them is shownin Fig. 5,. the lower'j aw 2"Ican be lowered into an inopera-- tive position permitting the rope 25 to be removed from the casing or to be entered therein. by way of the slots 31. The. toggles 3n and the'cams38} of each gripper are operated by the hand- lever 28 or 29, which is movable from a neutral position (Fig; 4) into either of twooperativepositions, described hereinafter, corresponding respectivelyv to the oppositedirection's of relative movement between the-gripper and the rope;

The singlememcer of which the'lower jaw of each gripper is composed rests upon the" toggles 3D and is acted uponat opposite ends by cen tralising'springs w re-acting againstthe ends 36" of the casing. Thetoggles aresupportedby' a" 76 horizontal support bar 40 which is seated upon a wedge bar 4i incorporating the previously mentioned wedge devices 3|. The adjacent surfaces of the support bar and wedge devices are of wave form, the one surface mating with the other. Each wave-v fcrhiation has flat inclined sides 42 (see Fig. 5) and a fiat summit 43 and the interwave troughs have flat bottoms 44. The arrangement is such that when relative longitudinal movement: between the bars 40 and 4| takes place, the support bar it changes the angularity of the toggles 30. v v

Each toggle; asFig. 6 shows, is formed with arcuat'e surfaces 45. These surfaces seat in mating seats 46 in me jaw 21 above and the support bar 46* below. Each toggle consists of two segmerits 41 each somewhat larger than a semicircle, and the segments are laterally offset from one another, each merging integrally into the other at a line 43 (Fig. 6) which is part of a common chord defining both segments. Thetogg'le therefore presents two flats 9 at oppositeends of the chord. The toggle is in efiect a link, the centres 5%) (represented by crossing lines in Figs. 6 and 7) of the segments being the centres of the joints between the link and the jaw 2! above and the support bar 40 below. The jaw and the support bar have arcuateiormations all, additional to the seats 46, in which the toggles nest when by appropriate displacement of the support bar arid wedgejbar' the toggles" adopt a reclining position (Fi'gL-S)". Each toggle, when in neutral position (Fig, 4) has its centres in yerti'cal alignment. When the toggle is in either operative position, hereinafter described, the lineof centres is inclined to one mother side of vertical. When the" toggle is in the" reclining position (Fig. 5) its" lineof centres is inclined upwardly to horizontal.

The suspect bar or, each gripper is movable endwise by the'hand' lever 28 or 29 to a short extent defined by adjustable limit stops 52 cooperating with its opposite ends. These stops are pins screwed through brackets on the casingv 33. Each of the hand levers28 and 29is floating', being pivotally, connected to adjacent ends orboth' the support bar scandthewedge bar 41.

The arrangement is such" that, when the hand lever" is movedtcone ofth dthefside or neutral, it" moves the support ar" 40f against one 01' other Of' the lil'niti steps 52; and thereafter, with. the en aged lifiiit Stiip as fulcrum, the 1eve'r1 moves the wedgepar 41 ungnuamany below the. support bar; thus raising thesupport bar andtOg- 1 gles by the wedge action and bringihgthellower jaw 21 into operative. relationship with the rope 25L The train of membersof which the upper jaw 26- of each gripper. is composedares'upported by intermediate. thrust pins 54- (Fig. 4). which are slida'blein lugs 55 on the casing and which permitverticali movement of the jaw members 26. The. outer members? of the train are pressed inwards by'cehtrali'sirig'springs 56 reacting against adjustable screws 51 in thecasingTends 35. Each jaw member 25 (ac-operates with one of the previously" mentioned cams 38. pivotally mountedin the top off the casing 33L The pivotal mounting consists ofa large segment 59 on the cam and a mating seat 6flinthecas ing top. The cams are associated with a carii' bar Bl which is slidable lengthwise in the casing' 33, the cam bar having a pin-and-slot connection with each cam. Each connection con"- sists" of a? pin" 62" on the cam and" centrau'sin Each cam. is

springs 63 between .it and the ends of the associated slot 64 in the cam bar. The cam bar is pivotally connected at one end by a pin 65 to the top of an approximately vertical lever 68 which is fulcrumed between its ends, at 67, to a bracket 68 on the casing 33 and is pivotally connected at the bottom by a pin 69 to the support bar 48. The arrangement therefore is such that, when the hand lever 28 or 29 is moved as previously described, the cam bar is forced to move lengthwise and urges the cams 38 to pivot in their pivotal mountings. Each cam has an arcuate eccentric cam surface 1!! which cooperates with a surface ll of somewhat greater radius formed in the associated jaw member 26. The cam action is therefore such that, when the cam bar 5| is moved in one or other direction, the cams urge the associated jaw members to exert an initial grip on the rope '25.

Consider the working gripper E as used when the machine is set to work from left to right as viewed in Figs. 1', 2 and 4. This gripper is mounted on the slidable body 22 in which the hydraulic cylinders I9 are incorporated. The hand lever 28 of the working gripper must; be pulled towards the right of neutral. This action pulls the support bar 40 to its righthand limit and therefore tilts the toggles 30 so that their lower portions lie towards the right, as shown in Fig. 1. When the toggles are so positioned, and the hydraulic unit I9, 23 is operated to extend itself, the toggles 3B tend to straightenthat is, tend to turn towards their vertical position-and thus tighten their grip upon the rope 25. Accordingly, the working gripper E serves temporarily as an abutment against which the hydraulic unit reacts as it pushes the machine forwards to perform a working stroke.

That is to say, by virtue of the toggle action, when the gripper engages the rope against movement in one direction (namely movement of the gripper E towards the left) the initial grip is tightened, the tightness of the final grip being proportional to the force applied by the unit; that is to say, the greater the force the tighter the final grip.

On the other hand, if the force is applied in the other direction, the action of the toggles is such that relative movement between the rope and the gripper is permitted. In short, the gripper acts as a one-way lock or clutch on the rope. Thus, when the hydraulic unit I9, 29 is operated to contract, the working gripper E releases its grip on the rope and is pulled forwards towards the right in readiness to take a new grip on the rope preparatory to the next advance of the machine.

The stop gripper F, although similar constructionally to the gripper E, is arranged in the example to the opposite hand and instead of being slidable on the machine chassis H is bolted rigidly to a bracket 12 thereon (Fig. 2). Therefore, the hand lever 29 is pushed towards the right in order to set its toggles at the same inclination as those of the gripper E. When the gripper E is being pulled forwards by the contracting hydraulic unit I9, 20, the gripper F grips the rope 29 and holds it taut. When the gripper E grips the rope during the advance of the machine, the gripper F frees itself from the rope and advances with the machine.

The hand lever of each gripper may, if desired, be provided with means whereby it is locked in one or other of its operative positions, and provision may be made for adjustment of these positions, for instance in order that the working positions of thesupport bar 48 can be regulated to compensate for wear of the parts. In order that the rope 25 can be removed from or entered intothe gripper, the cover 34 is moved from the body of the casing 33 (Fig. 8) following which the wedge bar 4| and support bar 4i] are displaced longitudinally to bring the toggles 30 into their reclining position (Fig. 5). In'thisposition, the upper jaw 28 is clearly below the'rope so that the rope can be moved laterally through the slots 31 provided for the purpose in the end plates 36. I

"In the example, the haulage assembly is mounted on a mining machine as a working part thereof and 'moveswith the machine along a stationary rope.

In an alternative arrangement, the haulage assembly is' arranged in a stationary location on the mine floor and the end of the haulage rope is attached to the machine, the arrangement being such that the power unit reciprocates the Working gripper so that it pulls in the rope stroke after stroke through the stop gripper, which remains stationary. v

In another alternative arrangement, a reciprocating power unitis arranged in a stationary location in the mine, a single haulage-rope gripper is provided on the machine, and a rope-returning device (say a spring anchorage) is also arranged in a stationary location in the mine. The power unit pulls the rope in one direction, thus giving it a working stroke, and the ropereturning device keeps the rope taut and gives it the return stroke. During each working stroke of the rope, the gripper grips it and advances the machine. During each return stroke of the rope, the gripper releases its hold and remains stationary, taking a fresh grip at the beginning of each successive working stroke.

I claim:

1. A gripper for mining machine haulage apparatus including means for efiecting relative movement between the gripper and a haulage rope, the said gripper comprising a movable jaw to grip the rope, an adjustable support, toggle means interposed between said support and said jaw, means for moving said support both to-andfrom said jaw and also lengthwise of the jaw between alternative positions at opposite sides of a neutral position, the toggle means in said alternative positions being set at mutually opposite inclinations to the jaw, so that the toggle means will constrain the jaw to exercise its grip on the rope in either of two propulsion directions but will free the jaw in the return direction.

2. A gripper according to claim 1 in which the means for moving the support comprises a member formed with a wave-like series of inclined faces arranged in two sets inclined in mutually opposite directions and said support is formed to engage co-operatively with said faces, and a hand lever for moving said support relative to said member in either direction through the neutral position to the alternative positions in each of which said faces displace the support towards the jaw.

3. A gripper according to claim 1 in which the toggle means include a toggle both ends whereof are arcuate and in which said jaw and said support respectively have arcuate seats in which said ends are turnably mounted, so that the toggle is turnable between an upright position and a reclining position.

4. A gripper for mining machine haulage ap- 7 para-tus including means; for effecting relative movement between the gripper and-"ahaulage rope; the said gripper com-prising: first amtsec- 0nd co-opera-ting jaws to grip the rope; anadjustable first supporttoggle means interposed between said support and said first jaw; anaxijustable second support, cam means interposed between said second support and said 'second jaw. means for moving both of saidsupports lengthwise of the jaws and also for moving said first support to-or-from said first jaw, said supports being movable between alternative positions at opposite sides of a neutral position; the toggle means in said alternative positions being set at mutually opposite. inclinations: to the first" jaw.

and said cam means act-wed'gewi'se on 'said seeond jaw so that both jaws will exercise; theirs-grip on the rope in either of two directions but-will free the rope in the return direction;

5. A gripper according to claim a inwhich the means for moving the'first support comprises a member formed' with awave-likeseries; of-inclined faces arranged in two sets inclined in mutually opposite directions and said support is formed to engage co-operatively= with said faces; and ahand lever for moving" said first and second supports lengthwise in either direction through the neutral position. to the alternative positions ire each of which said faces displace the first support towards the first jaw and the togglemeans and cam meanshold thefirst and second jaws respectively in lope-engaging"positions;

6. A gripper according to claim 4 in which the cam means include a. cam pivotally mounted in the second support andhaving an arcuate face which depresses the second jaw when the second support isdisplaced in either direction from the neutral position;

7-; A gripper according to claim 4 in which the cam means include-a earn having an arcuate portion turnabl'ymounted in an arcuate seat in the second support.

JOHN CONNEL SPROUL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references. are oi record in the

Images