US2904906A - Dump block assembly - Google Patents

Description

W; B. SMITH DUMPBLOCK ASSEMBLY Sept 22, 1959 Filed Jan. 28. 1954 QZM INVENTOR dmz%/,

ATTORNEYS.

DUMP BLOCK ASSEMBLY Willis D. Smith, Vancouver, Wash, assignor, by mesne assignments, to Electric Steel Foundry, Portland, reg., a corporation of Oregon, now by change of name to Electric Steel Foundry Company Application January 28, 1954, Serial No. 406,85t9 4 Claims. (Cl. 37-135) This invention relates to a dump block assembly and, more particularly, to a support or mounting device for a dump block such as those used with dragline buckets.

It has been common for many years to dig, transfer and otherwise handle materials of vastly different character by apparatus using dragline buckets and such buckets and their use is well known. conventionally, dragline buckets have side walls, an end wall, and a bottom wall and are open at their top and forward end and are equipped with teeth or points at the forward end of the bottom wall so that the bucket, as it is drawn forwardly in use, can dig into the material with the result that a portion thereof is scooped into the interior of the bucket. Ultimately the bucket is dumped to discharge the contents thereof and it is with the dump means that this invention is particularly concerned.

The dump assembly generally includes a dump block having a pulley wheel or sheave about which a dump cable is guided-one end being connected to the bucket and the other end to appropriate control apparatus. The operator is able, through manipulation of the dump cable, to cause the open end of the bucket to tip downwardly to discharge the contents thereof. The dump block is secured to the hoist cable and is supported thereby above and preferably at a spaced distance from the top of the bucket.

In the past, dump blocks have been supported by or mounted upon the hoist cable in a relationship such that there has been but very limited angular movement of the blocks with respect to the hoist cable and hoist chains which connect the hoist cable to the bucket. Thus, when the buckets are angularly oriented, as when digging on the sides of banks, weighted more heavily on one side than on the other, etc., the durnp cable will not be in alignment with the track of the sheave. The result of this is that the dump cable binds and Wears on the dump block frame, the hoist chains bind and wear along the sides of the bucket, and insensitive dump control is obtained. Further, in some instances the weight of the bucket and load is carried by the hoist cable through the dump block and all of the above conditions are further aggravated.

It is accordingly an object of this invention to provide a dump block assembly for dragline buckets and the like that will overcome the disadvantages described above. Another object of the invention is to provide a dump block assembly wherein angular movement of the dump block is afforded to permit the block to swing into substantial alignment with the dump cable. Still another object is in the provision of a dump block assembly in which the dump block is free to swivel in all directions from a vertical center line with the result that greater freedom of angular movement of the dump block is attained.

A further object is to provide a mounting for the dump block of a dragline bucket that is of such character that the block is free to swivel and orient itself angularly relative to the hoist chains with the result that mmo ice binding and wearing of the hoist chains is substantially minimized. Still a further object is in providing a swivel mounting for a dragline bucket dump block so that drag and friction are greatly reduced and more sensitive dump control achieved. Yet a further object is to provide a dump block assembly wherein the dump block and mounting nests in a very small space, permitting greater range of movement of the bucket during the dumping operations. Additional objects and advantages will appear as the specification proceeds.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a side view in elevation of a dragline bucket equipped with a dump block assembly incorporating my invention; Fig. 2 is a side view partly in elevation and partly in section of a dump block mounting incorporating my invention; Fig. 3 is a front view in elevation of the apparatus shown in Fig. 2; and Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view of the mounting ring and spool.

The general structure illustrated in Fig. 1 will first be described and reference will therefore be made in particular to this figure. Illustrated is a dragline bucket 10 that may be completely conventional and which may be equipped with an open forward end and with a plurality of angularly-depending teeth or points 11 adjacent the open forward end thereof. The bucket 10 will have side walls 12 and an end wall, and will be open at the top. Adjacent the forward end of the bucket an arch member, designated generally with the numeral 13, is provided. Since the dragline bucket 19 is conventional and since well known in the art, it is believed unnecessary to present a more detailed description thereof for purposes of this invention.

The side walls of the bucket intermediate the front and rear ends thereof are equipped with outwardly-ex tending trunnions 14 to which are pivotally connected hoist chains 15. As is customary, a hoist chain 15 extends upwardly on each side of the bucket 10 and a spreader bar 16 may be interposed between the two hoist chains at a distance above the bucket 10 and which is operative to spread the chains apart and to prevent binding thereof against the sides of the bucket. As is well known, the trunnions 14 will be off-center so that in a dumping operation the open forward end of the bucket will swing downwardly to dump the contents thereof.

Pivotally connected to the arch member 13 adjacent the lower forward end thereof are the drag chains 17. The opposite ends of the drag chains will be connected to a common dragline cable, not shown, that will operate in conjunction with appropriate control apparatus and which will enable an operator to drag the bucket 10 forwardly so that the teeth 11 bite into the ground or other material being Worked, with the result that a portion of the material will be scooped into the interior of the bucket.

A dump cable '18 is connected at one end to the eye 19 carried by the upper portion of the arch member 13 and is entrained about a pulley wheel or sheave 2i) rotatably mounted within the dump block frame 21. At its opposite end the dump cable will also be connected to suitable control apparatus and through manipulation thereof the bucket may be tipped to dump the contents thereof in a dumping operation.

The dump block, which for simplicity will be designated generally with the numeral 22, is supported upon a socket attachment 23 that is rigidly connected to the hoist cable 23a. As will be appreciated from an inspection of Fig. 1, the upper ends of the hoist chains 15 are connected through pear links 24 to a shackle 25 that is pivotally connected to the socket attachment 23 in a manner that will be subsequently described.

The socket attachment 23 is equipped with a bifurcated lower end portion that provides a pair of spaced branch portions 26. Each of the branches 26 is equipped with an opening therethrough and. these openings are aligned and receive therethrough a pin 27.. Interposed. between the branches 26 is a concave spool28. that has an. opening 29 therethrough that receives. the shank of the pin 27. therein. It will'be apparent thatthe spool 28. isconfined upon the pin 27 by the branch portions 26. of the socket.

member 23 but may be rotatable. relative. to the, pin.

Also mounted upon the pin 27 is. the shackle 25 that is generally U-shaped and is. equipped with. upwardly-- extending legs 39 thathave aligned openings. therethrough that receive the pin. The legs 3.0 are. spaced. apart and; receive therebetween the bifurcated. end portion of, the socket .233. At its lower end. the shackle. 25 is equipped. with a raised centralportion. 3,1 that is. operative to orient the pear, links 24 in positions. adjacent. the legs 30. The pin has. an enlarged head 3.2 that is adapted to abut, one leg of the shackle 25. and at its, opposite end is. adapted to receive thereon a collar. 33 and, to-have the, same secured thereto by means. of a lock bolt 34.

Mounted for swivel movement upon the concave spool 28 is a mounting ring 35. which has an enlarged. opening 36 through. the upper portion thereof and an opening 37' of reduced diameter through the lower end portion thereof. As can be. seen best in Fig. l, the dump block 22' is secured, to. the mounting. ring 35 by means of a bolt or pin 38 that extends through the frame ofthe block and. which extends also through the opening 37 inthe mounting ring. As is. seen best in Fig, 3,. the mounting ring 35 is. supported upon the concave spool 28. Prefr erably, the spool 28 is concave as is illustrated, and pro-- vides a. peripheral surface 39' that has a lowered central portion. and rises gradually toward; the ends of the. spool. Thus the mounting ring3z5. tends to be centeredupon the. spool 28.

Operation.

The dump block assembly described. provides a. mounts ingwherein the dragline. bucket is carried. by the hoist cable, which is not shown, through the. hoist chains-.15, the shackle 25, pin 27 and socket 23 and, therefore, the weight of the bucket and its. contents is not carried by the dump block 22. The shackle 25 and socket 23 are rotatably mounted upon. the shank of pin 27- so that freedom ofmovement of the bucket is afforded.

The dump block 22 is carried directly by the mounting ring 35 which in turn is supported upon the concave spool 28 carried by the pin 27. The mounting ring 35 is free to move independently of the shackle 25 and socket23. The socket 23, however, is operative to constrain the mounting ring 35 in position upon the spool 28 while the concave peripheral surface 39. ofthe spool tends to center the ring 35 with respect thereto. Not only is the mounting ring 35 free to pivot upon the spool 28 from a lower position, as indicated in Fig. 4, through an angular position, such as is indicated in Fig. 2, and to substantially a horizontal position as indicated in Fig. 1, but the mounting ring may also swing laterally through positions such as the one indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 3. Further, the enlarged. opening 36, while permitting the freedom of movement heretofore described, also permits the mounting ring 35 to swivel or to turn slightly in a vertical plane, which is generally perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the. pin 27. Thus the dump block 22 which is carried by the mounting ring 35 is free to rotate within limits about the axis of the pin 27, can swing laterally, and can also twist or swivel upon the spool 28.

In operation of a dragline structure such as the one shown in Fig. l, the bucket 10' may be used to dig the walls of banks, etc. where it will be positioned along skew lines relative to the dump cable, but there; will be little binding of the dump cable upon the frame of the dump block for the blockwill be free. to swing into substantial alignment; with the dump cable irrespective of the position of the dragline bucket 10. Thus there will be no binding forces imposed upon the hoist chains 15 by the dump block 22 in its effort to swing into alignment with the dump cable and the hoist chains will not then bind against the side walls 12 of the bucket and friction and wearing of the chains and bucket will be considerably minimized. In the dumping of a load carried by the bucket, the dump cable will respond readily to manipulation by an operator and the response will be sensitive, permitting more accurate control over the dumping operations. Moreover, he. dum lock 225 and mounting therefore nests in a relatively small space and the rear end portion of the bucket 10 may be swung upwardly through a considerable' ang-lewithout the dump block and mounting therefor interfering with and limiting the movement. Therefore, quicker and more effective dumping and loading of the bucket contents is realized.

While in the foregoing specification an embodiment of the invention has been set out in considerable detail for purposes of illustration, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that considerable deviation in these details may be made without departing from the spirit and principles of the invention.

I claim:

1. Mounting apparatus for a dragline dump block, com;

prising a pin, a concave spool mounted upon said pin intermediate the. ends thereof, socket means carried by said' pin and being adapted to have a hoist cable secured thereto, a shackle carried by said pin and being adapted to have dragline bucket hoist. chains connected thereto,

whereby the weight of a. dragline bucket is adapted to be.

carried directly by a hoist cable, through said socket means, pin and shackle, and a mounting ring having an enlarged annular opening therethrough of substantially greater diameter than the outer dimensions of said spool; and being adapted to receive said spool therein, said ringbeing adapted to be secured to a mounting block, the width of said, ring being substantially less than the length of said spool whereby swivel movement of the ring upon said spool is afiorded.

2. A dump block assembly for dragline buckets, comprising a mounting ring, a dump block carried by said mounting ring, a spool equipped with a concave peripheral surface, said mounting ringbeing equipped with an enlarged arcuate opening therethrough of substantially greater dimensions than the outer dimensions of said spool and receiving said spooltherein, said mounting ring being substantially narrower than said spool and having a convex contour about said opening whereby the ring is free to swivel thereabout, said spool providing an opening therethrough, an elongated pin. extending through the opening in said spool and providing a support therefor, a shackle pivotally carried upon said pin, and a socket member pivotally carried upon said pin and having spaced leg portions receiving said spool therebetween.

3. In a dump block assembly useful with dragline buckets, a pin, a shackle piyotally carried by said pin and being adapted to have hoist chains for a dragline bucket attached thereto, a socket member having spaced legs pivotally carried by said pin and being adapted to have a hoist. cable secured thereto, a spool member carried by said pin intermediate said spaced legs, and a mounting ring having an opening therethrough mounted upon said spool and being adapted to have a dump block for a dragli-ne bucket secured thereto, said opening being greater in size than said spool to afford substantially universal movement of said ring relative to said spool; and to the pin carrying the same, the outer surface of said spool being concave and the. ring about said opening being convex, the concavity and convexity being of substan-. tially the same curvature whereby adjacent surfaces of said spool and ring are complementarily contoured so as to tend to center the ring upon the spool.

4. In a dumpblock assembly, a socket member having a hoisting cable attachment means at one end thereof, a pin carried by said socket member at the end opposite the said one end, an annular spool mounted on said pin, and a relatively narrow mounting ring provided with an enlarged annular opening therethrough of greater 5 References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Shogren July 18, 1865 Collis Mar. 22, 1892 Gates Jan. 8, 1895 Page Mar. 17, 1920 Koelkebeck Oct. 2-1, 1924 Larson et a1 May 31, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS Australia Oct. 11, 1938

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