WO2023023765A1

WO2023023765A1 - Conveyance rope guide gripper assembly

Info

Publication number: WO2023023765A1
Application number: PCT/AU2022/050992
Authority: WO
Inventors: Joseph O'connor
Original assignee: Far West Primary Industries Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2021-08-25
Filing date: 2022-08-24
Publication date: 2023-03-02
Also published as: AU2021221770A1

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.

Description

CONVEYANCE ROPE GUIDE GRIPPER ASSEMBLY

Field of the Invention

[1] The present invention relates to a gripper assembly for rope guided conveyance(s). The invention is primarily intended for conveyance(s) 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 the means for hoisting from underground 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 conveyance guided by rope guides, the gripper assembly comprising: a housing to be mounted to an external side wall of the conveyance, the housing having an internal cavity through which a rope guide can extend through, a pair of wedges disposed within the internal cavity, the wedges to be disposed on either side of the 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 sidewalls having internal surfaces which defines the internal cavity, the internal surfaces being angled towards each other in the upward direction.

[7] Preferably, the housing comprises attachment flanges for attachment of the housing to the conveyance.

[8] Preferably, the internal cavity includes an open lower end and an open upper, the lower end being larger than the upper end. [9] 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 with the internal sidewall extending vertically downwardly and the external sidewall being angled away from the internal side wall in the downward direction.

[10] 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.

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

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

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

[14] 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.

[15] In another aspect, the invention provides a conveyance having the gripper assembly of the above, the conveyance comprising a shelf mount supporting the spring.

[16] Preferably, a gripper assembly is mounted to each side of the conveyance for each respective rope guide.

[17] Preferably, a drawbar is used for attaching the conveyance to a pulling cable, the drawbar including rocker cams at each end thereof, wherein when there is tension in the pulling cable the drawbar is pulled upwardly relative to the conveyance and the rocker cams engage the extensions which pushes the wedges downwardly against the force of the springs to a disengaged position with the rope guides, and if tension is lost in the pulling cable the drawbar drops down relative to the conveyance and the rocker cams release their engagement of the extensions which causes the springs to move the wedges upwardly relative to the housing to an engaged position with the rope guides.

[18] In another aspect, the invention provides a gripper assembly for a conveyance guided by rope guides, the gripper assembly comprising: a housing to be mounted to an external side wall of the conveyance, the housing having a tapered internal cavity through which a rope guide can extend through, a wedge disposed within the internal cavity, the wedge to be disposed on one side of the rope guide opposite an internal wall of the cavity engaging the other side of the rope guide, wherein downwards movement of the housing relative to the wedges moves the wedge towards the opposite internal wall to grip the rope guide therebetween.

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

Brief Description of the Drawings

[20] 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:

[21 ] 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;

[22] 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;

[23] 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;

[24] 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;

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

Description of Embodiments

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

[27] Figure 1 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 1 10, the wedges 14 are released and are biased to move towards each other to grip a rope guide 102 therebetween to prevent movement of the conveyance 100 downwards. The gripper assembly 10 thus acts as a backup stop safety assembly.

[28] As shown in Figure 2, the housing 12 comprises a body having a front wall 22, sidewalls 24 extending rearwardly from side 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 surfaces 28 from the open lower end 30 to the open upper end 32. The open lower end 30 is wider than 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 100 using bolts or similar fastener, which forms the full through cavity 26.

[29] 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. The pair of wedges 14 will thus have their recesses 56 facing each other. Each wedge 14 further includes an extension 60 extending rearwardly from the rear wall 54. The extension 60 includes a lower wall 62 and an upper wall 64.

[30] Referring back to Figures 1 and 2, the pair of wedges 14 are received in the internal cavity 26 of 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.

[31 ] The wedges 14 are biased in the upward (gripping) direction relative to the housing 12 via a respective spring 70 engaging the lower wall 62 of the respective extensions 60. The springs are mounted to a shelf mount 80 of the conveyance 100.

[32] Referring to Figure 4, the shelf mount 80 in the example is at an internal surface 132 of the conveyance 100 (top section shown), whilst the housing 12 is mounted to an external surface 134 of the conveyance 100. A gripper assembly 60 is mounted to each side of the conveyance 100 for each respective rope guide 102. The extensions 60 extend through a slot in the conveyance wall inwardly from the internal surface 132.

[33] A drawbar 120 is used for attaching the conveyance 100 to the pulling cable(s) 110. The drawbar 120 includes inverted rocker cams 122 at each end thereof. When there is tension in the pulling cable 1 10, the drawbar 120 is pulled upwardly relative to the conveyance 100 and the rocker cams 122 engage the upper wall 64 of the extensions 60 which pushes the wedges 14 downwardly against the force of the springs 70. This maintains the wedges 14 in a position spaced from each other at which the wedges 14 do not grip the rope guides 102. The rope guide 102 freely moves between the wedges 14 in this disengaged position. If tension is lost in the pulling cable(s) 110, for example if the cable 1 10 is cut, 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 upwardly relative to the housing 12. This activates the gripping wedges 14 to the engaged position with the rope guides 102.

[34] 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.

[35] 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. The springs 70 for example can be omitted at which the rope guides 102 can engage the wedges 14 via friction. The springs 70 can also be replaced by electric actuators which will actuate upon loss of tension in the pulling cable 1 10 as detected by a sensor for example. The complementary surfaces 28 and 48 in another embodiment can be curved for example to provide additional clearance gap therebetween in the disengaged position and/or additional force towards each other in the engaged position.

[36] In another possible embodiment, the gripper assembly can include a single wedge 14 only. One side of the rope guide 102 can be gripped by the wedge 14 and the other side can be gripped by a vertical internal surface 28 of the opposite sidewalls 24.

[37] The guides 102 in the example are described as rope guides but are understood to be able to be made from rope, cable, or other suitable elongated material. This includes steel ropes, steel cables, and other suitable industrial application ropes/cables.

The invention can also be used not just for vertically moving conveyances but also inclined/angled elevators or conveyances.

Claims

6 Claims The claims defining the invention are as follows:

1. A gripper assembly for a conveyance guided by rope guides, the gripper assembly comprising: a housing to be mounted to an external side wall of the conveyance, the housing having an internal cavity through which a rope guide can extend through, a pair of wedges disposed within the internal cavity, the wedges to be disposed on either side of the rope guide, wherein downwards movement of the housing relative to the wedges moves the wedges towards each other to grip the rope guide therebetween.

2. The gripper assembly of claim 1 wherein the housing comprises sidewalls having internal surfaces which defines the internal cavity, the internal surfaces being angled towards each other in the upward direction.

3. The gripper assembly of claim 2 wherein the housing comprises attachment flanges for attachment of the housing to the conveyance.

4. The gripper assembly of claim 3 wherein the internal cavity includes an open lower end and an open upper, the lower end being larger than the upper end.

5. The gripper assembly of claim 2 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 with the internal sidewall extending vertically downwardly and the external sidewall being angled away from the internal side wall in the downward direction.

6. The gripper assembly of claim 5 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.

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

8. The gripper assembly of claim 5 wherein the external side wall is angled in a complementary shape to follow the angle of the internal surface of the housing.

9. The gripper assembly of claim 5 wherein the pair of the wedges are provided in a mirror configuration to each other.

10. The gripper assembly of claim 5 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. 7 A conveyance having the gripper assembly of claim 10, the conveyance comprising a shelf mount supporting the spring. The conveyance of claim 11 wherein a gripper assembly is mounted to each side of the conveyance for each respective rope guide. The conveyance of claim 12 wherein a drawbar is used for attaching the conveyance to a pulling cable, the drawbar including rocker cams at each end thereof, wherein when there is tension in the pulling cable the drawbar is pulled upwardly relative to the conveyance and the rocker cams engage the extensions which pushes the wedges downwardly against the force of the springs to a disengaged position with the rope guides, and if tension is lost in the pulling cable the drawbar drops down relative to the conveyance and the rocker cams release their engagement of the extensions which causes the springs to move the wedges upwardly relative to the housing to an engaged position with the rope guides. A gripper assembly for a conveyance guided by rope guides, the gripper assembly comprising: a housing to be mounted to an external side wall of the conveyance, the housing having a tapered internal cavity through which a rope guide can extend through, a wedge disposed within the internal cavity, the wedge to be disposed on one side of the rope guide opposite an internal wall of the cavity engaging the other side of the rope guide, wherein downwards movement of the housing relative to the wedges moves the wedge towards the opposite internal wall to grip the rope guide therebetween.