WO2013185253A1 - Articulated coupling intended to be installed on the dipper stick and the bucket ring or lock of a mechanical shovel so that the articulated coupling is connected directly to the bucket - Google Patents

Description

 COUPLING ARTICULATOR TO BE INSTALLED IN THE HAND AND THE RING OR PAD RING OF A MECHANICAL SHOVEL, TO DIRECTLY CONNECT SUCH JOINT COUPLING WITH THE BALL.

Technical Field

 The present invention request is directed to an articulator coupling that applies to all types of electromechanical and hydraulic shovels, the design adapts to a variety of specific conditions of each blade, this device can be used in different types of model blades, P&H, BUCYRUS , CATERPILLAR, among others. In addition, it comprises a process for changing the bucket of electromechanical and hydraulic shovels, suitable for the application of the articulator coupling device.

State of the Art

In current mining, to extract large volumes of ore, earthmoving equipment called shovels is required, so they must be subjected to this condition 24 hours a day.

 Because of the great importance that the blades have in mining, their designs are in constant improvement, thus achieving better yields in the extraction of ore or sterile. An important and repetitive factor in these improvements has been the materials with which the buckets and handles are constructed. In this way we can find them made of different types of steels according to the request that each part of the bucket or handle has. That is why the materials used vary from high-strength structural steel, and anti-abrasive steels. The geometry of buckets and handles over time has been practically the same way without having a relevant change in its structure.

 The bucket and the handle due to its permanent task of extraction are fatigued and worn out as the shovel removes the mineral, causing structural damage when it comes into contact with the pit, that is why it is necessary to change it for another that is repaired or Again, at present, in order to prevent the bucket and the handle from suffering a major deterioration, it must undergo constant repairs in periods not exceeding 12,000 hrs of mineral or sterile extraction.

To change the bucket, it must be disconnected from the shovel and moved to a repair site. When disconnecting the bucket from the shovel, cranes must be used to keep the handle elevated and then hold it with the shovel cables using two ears. simple clamping, this condition only allows the handle to be raised without having greater capacity of movement in the shovel joints, so it is necessary to use two cranes to transfer the worn bucket to a low bed truck and then remove it from the mining site and take it to a repair site. In turn, the low bed truck, which contains the new or repaired bucket, is positioned under the shovel handle and 2 cranes of 90 to 120 tons proceed to unload it and leave it on the floor. The way in which the bucket of the low bed truck is unloaded is by means of the lifting hooks of the cranes connected at the top where the bucket connection area is distinguished.

 Once the bucket is removed from the exchange area, the blade boom is lowered and the handle is turned off and then disconnected from the blade, then two 90 to 120 ton cranes are positioned near the handle to connect it and then raise it by means of ears of simple subjection, the low bed truck is positioned under the handle and begins to lower to leave it on the low bed truck and then remove it to a repair place.

 Translating the actions described above, it is worth mentioning that this action of change of bucket and handle is not entirely simple since it brings with it 2 important negative aspects, such as the associated risk and the high cost of changing the bucket

In relation to the associated risks, these are mainly generated by the amount of cranes that must be used and the human resource that involves the movement of each crane, such as the crane operator, the riger and external personnel.

 Regarding the economic aspect, this is mainly associated with the high operational and logistics costs that each mining operation should provide for when changing the bucket and handle.

Invention

 The present invention patent application addresses the various problems explained above, in an efficient and effective manner at the same time. It offers an innovative solution, of high inventive level and susceptible of industrial application that reduces risks and costs.

The articulator coupling presented in this application provides two qualities in its industrial application. The first one allows the blade handle to be connected to the blade lifting cables by means of the bucket ring or padlocks, this condition allows the blade to have articulated mobility, because the articulator coupling imitates the connection area of the bucket and at the same time the connection area of the handle, bucket ring or padlocks, to be a kind of intermediary between them (handle, bucket ring or padlocks and the bucket). The second property offered by the articulator coupling is that it can be installed permanently or not on the blade, allowing in the first case to increase the life of the blade handle, since the articulator coupling will receive all the tensions caused by the bucket at the time of coming into contact with the pit from which the ore is loaded. Issue that is advantageous since the fatigue of the articulator coupling and not the handle, provides the utility or benefit that the change of the articulator coupling is much more efficient, because it is a smaller piece and therefore easy to maneuver and transport due In addition to its geometric shape, preventive or reparative maintenance costs are clearly lower.

 The articulator coupling (figure 1) to be installed in the handle permanently or not and used in electromechanical and hydraulic shovels (figure N ° 10), intended to increase the life of the handle, and facilitate the change of the bucket (figure N ° 17 ), consists mainly of the following elements that together comprise a single piece:

Two L-shaped side beams, (figure 2) of drawer type, parallel to each other, internally regulated (No. 1, No. 2, No. 3, No. 4, No. 5, No. 6, Figure 3 ), and made up of an upper and lower face straight in L (No. 7, No. 8, figure 4), and two L-shaped side faces (No. 9, No. 10, figure5), which they protrude from the drawer of the beams where pivot connection zones are distinguished, suitable for the connection of the handle and the bucket or padlock ring at the top and for the connection of the bucket at the bottom L (figure 5).

 A central beam (figure 6) of drawer type, internally regulated (No. 11, No. 12, No. 13 figure 7), and whose ends widen, and which are formed by an upper and a lower face in a straight way that at their ends they widen (N ° 14, N ° 15, figure 8), and by two lateral faces (figure9) in a cylindrical or folded form of variant radius, at both ends where the beams widen (N ° 16, N 17, figure 9) and which are arranged perpendicular to the two lateral beams, each one being fixed at its ends to the external face of said lateral beams (N ° 18, N ° 19, figure 7).

As we pointed out above, the upper part of the articulator coupling comes to mimic the connection areas of the bucket to fix it with the handle and the lower part comes to mimic the connection areas of the handle to fix it to the bucket.

 In order to reach the structural configuration described above, the articulator coupling was subjected to various analyzes using the finite element method that includes a numerical resolution of structural problems.

The type of element used for modeling was the solid brick type. By means of the Von Mises fault theorem that the effective Von Mises effort is produced, σ 'equals the creep resistance determined in a standard tensile test σο, that is, in the case of three-dimensional stresses, delivering results of stresses (figure 20), displacements (figure 21), unit deformations (figure 22), and safety factor. These results confirmed the increase in the useful life of the handle and the resistance capacity of the articulator coupling when the bucket came into contact with the pit.

 To achieve the above advantages, this application also includes a procedure for changing the bucket of electromechanical and hydraulic blades, suitable for the application of the articulating coupling device.

Procedure for changing the Bucket of Electromechanical and Hydraulic Blades

This process consists mainly of the joint action of different pieces that has as an objective the change of bucket of electromechanical and hydraulic shovels. The system requires the following devices:

a) A piece called the articulator coupling (figure 1) that connects to both the handle of the blade and the cables by means of the bucket or padlock ring and the bucket (figure 12);

b) A rectangular-shaped work table, consisting of H beams arranged horizontally and UPN beams, which in size is similar to that of the bucket that needs to be changed (No. 20, figure 15);

c) A lectern that carries the articulator coupling that bolts in its corners to the work table, because it has the same geometric shape as this (figure 14);

d) A low bed truck (No. 21, figure 18).

 The set of system actions that must be followed for the change of bucket are the following:

The shovel should be positioned on the ground where the change of bucket will be carried out, a position that represents 0 ^or , and at 45 ° to the left the work table that supports the music stand and the articulator coupling, in turn, at 45 ° ( figure 15) to its right the low bed truck (figure 20) is positioned with the new or repaired bucket; in this way to the mechanical shovel, in its position of 0 ^o , the bucket to be repaired is disconnected, the handle is raised and rotated 45 ° to the left where the worktable waits for it, and the handle is lowered by the action of the lifting cables, positioning it on the articulator coupling, and then connecting it to it, which must be in the lectern fixed on the work table, so it must be disconnected from the lectern (figure 16) Then the blade returns in 45 ° to its zero degree position, the handle is lowered and the bucket to be repaired is switched on again (figure 17) and rotated 30 ° to the right, so that the bucket to be repaired is disconnected for the second time; the handle is raised and rotated 15 ° to the right where the low bed truck is located with the new or repaired bucket and connected to it, to rotate 45 ° to the left, to its original position, and lower the new bucket or repaired and disconnected, the handle is raised and the blade rotates again 30 ° to the right in search of the bucket to be repaired, connects and rotates 15 ° to the right to leave it on the low bed truck (figure 18) (figure 19). Finally, the blade turns towards the work table and the articulator coupling is disconnected and returns to its original position, where the new or repaired bucket is definitively connected.

Brief description of the figures

 Figure No. 1 is a general dimensional perspective view of the articulator coupling of the present invention.

 Figure N ° 2 is a perspective perspective view of two L-shaped side beams of the present invention.

 Figure 3 is a perspective perspective view of an internally regulated side beam, drawer type of the present invention

 Figure 4 is a perspective perspective view of the inner drawer of the side beams of the present invention.

 Figure 5 is a perspective perspective view of the L-shaped side faces, which protrude from the drawer of the side beams where pivot connection zones of the present invention are distinguished.

 Figure 6 is a perspective perspective view of the central beam of the present invention.

 Figure 7 is a dimensional perspective view of the inner drawer of the central beam internally regulated of the present invention.

 Figure N ° 8 is a perspective perspective view of the upper face and the lower face of the central beam, where its straight shape is distinguished and at its ends widen.

 Figure 9 is a perspective perspective view of the lateral faces of the central beam.

 Figure 10 is a general dimensional perspective view of the articulator coupling installed in an electromechanical blade.

 Figure 1 is an isometric perspective view of the articulator coupling installed in an electromechanical blade.

 Figure 12 is a perspective perspective view of the articulator coupling installed in an electromechanical blade.

Figure N ° 13 is a rear view showing the articulated coupling installed next to the handle, bucket and padlocks. Figure N ° 14 is an isometric perspective view of the articulator coupling connected to the transport stand.

Figure 15 is an isometric perspective view describing the process of changing bucket position 0 ^or next to the worktable.

 Figure 16 is an isometric perspective view where the process of changing the 45 ° position bucket connected together with the articulated coupling of the present invention is described.

Figure 17 is an isometric perspective view describing the process of changing the 0 ° position bucket connected with the strobes to the bucket to be repaired.

 Figure N ° 18 is an isometric perspective view where the process of changing the 45 ° position bucket is described by positioning the bucket on a low bed truck.

 Figure N ° 19 is an isometric approach view where the process of changing the 45 ° position bucket is described by positioning the bucket on a low bed truck.

 Figure N ° 20 is a dimensional view where the analysis of finite elements is described delivering the result of localized tensions.

 Figure N ° 21 is a dimensional view where the analysis of finite elements is described giving the result of displacements of the articulator coupling.

 Figure N ° 22 is a dimensional view where the analysis of finite elements is described delivering the result of the unit deformations of the articulator coupling.

Detailed Description of the Invention

 The articulator coupling (figure 1) is an invention to be installed in the handle and the bucket or padlock ring of an electromechanical or hydraulic shovel (figure N ° 10, figure N ° ll, figure N ° 12, figure N ° 13), and thus directly connect said articulator coupling with the bucket, allowing the handle to be kept operative through the lifting cables of the blade by means of the bucket or padlock ring (figure 17) once the bucket is uninstalled, and that in addition, it can be installed permanent or not, in the first case, giving the handle of the same longer life and is characterized by being constituted mainly of the following elements that together comprise a single piece:

Two L-shaped side beams, (figure 2) of drawer type, parallel to each other, internally regulated (No. 1, No. 2, No. 3, No. 4, No. 5, No. 6, Figure 3 ), and made up of an upper and lower face straight in L (No. 7, No. 8, figure 4), and two L-shaped side faces (No. 9, No. 10, figure5), which they protrude from the drawer of the beams where pivot connection zones are distinguished, suitable for the connection of the handle and the bucket ring or padlock at the top and for the connection of the bucket at the bottom L (figure 5).

A central beam (figure 6) of drawer type, internally regulated (No. 11, No. 12, No. 13 figure 7), and whose ends widen, and which are formed by an upper and a lower face in a straight way that at their ends they widen (N ° 14, N ° 15, figure 8), and by two lateral faces (figure9) in a cylindrical or folded form of variant radius, at both ends where the beams widen (N ° 16, N 17, figure 9) and which are arranged perpendicular to the two lateral beams, each one being fixed at its ends to the external face of said lateral beams (N ° 18, N ° 19, figure 7).

In the front part of the articulator coupling, specifically on the side faces at the top of each side beam there is a perforation corresponding to the pivot connection area of the bucket or padlock ring (No. 24, figure 2), specifically on the side faces At the bottom of each side beam there is a hole corresponding to the pivot connection area with the bucket ears (No. 27, figure 2).

 In the central part of the articulator coupling, specifically on the side faces at the top of each side beam there is a perforation corresponding to the pivot connection area with the extension of the blade handle (No. 23, figure 2). On the side faces at the bottom of each side beam there is a perforation corresponding to the pivot connection area with the central ears of the bucket (No. 26, figure 2).

 At the rear of the articulator coupling, specifically on the side faces at the top of each side beam there is a perforation corresponding to the pivot connection area with the blade handle (No. 22, figure 2), on the side faces In its lower part of each side beam there is a perforation corresponding to the pivot connection area with the rear ears of the bucket (No. 25 Figure 2).

 The two lateral beams are fixed with the central beams by means of welding (figure 1).

 The six perforations of each side face of the side beams in the pivot connection areas are between 180 mm and 210 mm in diameter (No. 22, No. 23, No. 24, No. 25, No. 26, N 27, figure 2). The pivot holes of the bucket or padlock ring are connected by means of a SAE 1045 or SAE 4340 steel pin, (figure 17) and in the pivot connection area with the front ears of the bucket by means of pins, slings or strobes when used as lifting element (figure 19).

In the pivot connection zone, it is connected to the blade handle extension by means of a SAE 1045 or SAE 4340 steel pin (No. 28, No. 29, No. 30, No. 31, figure 12) This pin allows the articulated mobility of the blade and in the pivot connection area with the central ears of the bucket by means of pins, slings or strobes, when using the coupling as a lifting element (figure 17).

 In the rear pivot connection zone, it is connected to the blade handle by means of a SAE 1045 or SAE 4340 steel pin (No. 32, No. 33, Figure 13), allowing the articulation of the blade and in the area Pivot connection with the rear ears of the bucket by means of pins, slings or strobes, when used as a lifting element.

 Both the lateral beams and the central beams type drawer, are constituted of structural steel of high resistance. The central beam has two ears at the top that allow it to be raised (No. 33, No. 34, figure 6)

 The procedure for the installation of the articulator coupling that allows the change of bucket of electromechanical and hydraulic shovels is characterized because it consists mainly of:

a) A piece called the articulator coupling (figure 1) that connects to both the handle of the blade and the cables by means of the bucket or padlock ring and the bucket (figure 12);

b) A rectangular-shaped work table, consisting of H beams arranged horizontally and UPN beams, which in size is similar to that of the bucket that needs to be changed (No. 20, figure 15);

c) A lectern that carries the articulator coupling that bolts in its corners to the work table, because it has the same geometric shape as this (figure 14);

d) A low bed truck (No. 21, figure 18).

 The procedure for the installation of the articulator coupling that allows the change of bucket of electromechanical and hydraulic blades characterized by;

the blade must be positioned on the ground where the change of bucket will be carried out, a position that represents the 0 °, and at 45 ° to the left the work table that supports the music stand and the articulator coupling, in turn, at 45 ° ( figure 15) to its right the low bed truck (figure 20) is positioned with the new or repaired bucket; in this way to the mechanical shovel, in its position of 0 ^o , the bucket to be repaired is disconnected, the handle is raised and rotated 45 ° to the left where the worktable waits for it, and the handle is lowered by the action of the lifting cables, positioning it on the articulator coupling, and then connecting it to it, which must be in the lectern fixed on the work table, so it must be disconnected from the lectern (figure 16) Then the blade returns in 45 ° to its zero degree position, the handle is lowered and the bucket to be repaired is switched on again (figure 17) and rotated 30 ° to the right, so that the bucket to be repaired is disconnected for the second time; the handle goes up and turns 15 ° to the right where the low bed truck is located with the new or repaired bucket and connects to it, to rotate 45 ° to the left, to its original position, and lower the new or repaired bucket and disconnect it, the handle is raised and the blade rotates again 30 ° to the right in search of the bucket to be repaired, it is connected and rotated 15 ° to the right to leave it on the low bed truck (figure 18) (figure 19). Finally, the blade turns towards the work table and the articulator coupling is disconnected and returns to its original position, where the new or repaired bucket is definitively connected.

Claims

1. - Articulating coupling (figure 1) to be installed on the handle and the bucket ring or padlock of a mechanical shovel, to directly connect said articulating coupling with the bucket, and which allows the handle to be kept operational through the lifting cables of the shovel by means of the bucket ring or padlock once the bucket has been uninstalled, and which can also be installed permanently or not on the shovel, giving in the first case greater useful life to its handle CHARACTERIZED by being made up mainly of : to. Two L-shaped lateral beams (figure 2) of box type, parallel to each other, internally reinforced (N°1, N°2, N°3, N°4, N°5, N°6, figure 3 ), and made up of a straight L-shaped upper and lower face (No. 7, No. 8, figure 4), and two L-shaped side faces (No. 9, No. 10, figure 5), which They protrude from the box of the beams where pivot connection areas are distinguished, suitable for the connection of the handle and the bucket or padlock ring in the upper part and for the connection of the bucket in the lower part I. (figure 5); b. A central box-type beam (figure 6), reinforced internally (No. 11, No. 12, No. 13, figure 7), and whose ends widen, and which are made up of a straight upper and lower face that at their ends they widen (No. 14, No. 15, figure 8), and on two side faces (figure 9) of cylindrical or folded shape of varying radius, at both ends where the beams widen (No. 16, N°17, figure 9) and that are arranged perpendicular to the two side beams, each one is fixed at its ends to the external face of said side beams (N°18, N°19, figure 7). 2. - Articulating coupling, according to claim 1 CHARACTERIZED in that in the front part of the articulating coupling, specifically on the lateral faces in the upper part of each lateral beam there is a perforation corresponding to the pivot connection area of the bucket ring or padlock (N °24, figure 2), and because specifically on the lateral faces at the bottom of each side beam there is a perforation corresponding to the pivot connection area with the ears of the bucket (No. 27, figure 2). 3. - Articulating coupling, according to claim 1 CHARACTERIZED because in the central part of the articulating coupling, specifically on the lateral faces in the upper part of each lateral beam there is a perforation corresponding to the pivot connection area with the extension of the shovel handle (No. 23, figure 2), and because on the lateral faces at the bottom of each lateral beam there is a perforation corresponding to the pivot connection area with the central ears of the bucket (No. 26, figure 2). 4.- Articulator coupling, according to claim 1 CHARACTERIZED because in the rear part of the articulator coupling, specifically on the lateral faces at the top of each side beam there is a perforation corresponding to the pivot connection area with the handle of the shovel (N °22, figure 2), and because on the lateral faces in the lower part of each side beam there is a perforation corresponding to the pivot connection area with the rear ears of the bucket (No. 25, figure 2). 5.- Articulator coupling, according to claim 1 CHARACTERIZED because the two side beams are fixed to the central beams by means of welding (figure 1). 6- Articulator coupling, according to claim 1 CHARACTERIZED because the six perforations on each lateral face of the lateral beams in the pivot connection areas, have a diameter between 180 mm to 210 mm (N°22, N°23, N°24, N°25, N°26, N°27, figure 2). 7- Articulator coupling, according to claims 1 and 6 CHARACTERIZED because the perforations are reinforced by structural steel washers with a diameter corresponding to the diameter of the perforations (figure 3). 8. - Articulator coupling, according to claims 1 and 2 CHARACTERIZED because it is connected in the pivot connection area of the bucket ring or padlock by means of a SAE 1045 or SAE 4340 steel pin (N°36 N°37, figure 11), and in The connection area pivots with the front ears of the bucket using pins, slings or straps (figure 17). 9. - Articulator coupling, according to claims 1 and 3 CHARACTERIZED because it is connected in the pivot connection area with the extension of the shovel handle by means of a SAE 1045 or SAE 4340 steel pin (N°28, N°29, N° 30, No. 31, figure 12) and in the pivot connection area with the central ears of the bucket by means of pins, slings or slings (figure 17). 10. - Articulator coupling, according to claims 1 and 4 CHARACTERIZED because it is connected to the pivot connection area with the shovel handle by means of a SAE 1045 or SAE 4340 steel pin (N°32, N°33, figure 13) and in the pivot connection area with the rear ears of the bucket using pins, slings or slings (figure 17). 1 1. - Articulating coupling, according to claim 1 CHARACTERIZED Because both the side beams and the central box-type beam are made of high-strength structural steel (figure 1). 12. - Articulating coupling, according to claim 1 CHARACTERIZED because the central beams have two ears at the ends of their upper faces that allow their lifting (N°34, N°35, figure 1). 13. - Procedure for installing the articulating coupling that allows changing the bucket of electromechanical and hydraulic blades CHARACTERIZED because it consists mainly of: a) A piece called Articulator Coupling (figure 1) that connects both to the handle of the shovel and to the cables through the bucket ring or padlock and to the bucket (figure 12); b) A rectangular work table, made up of H beams arranged horizontally and UPN beams, which is similar in size to the bucket that needs to be changed (No. 20, figure 15); c) A lectern that transports the articulating coupling that is bolted at its corners to the work table, because it has the same geometric shape as this (figure 14); d) A low bed truck (N°21, figure 18). 14.- Procedure for installing the articulating coupling that allows the bucket change of electromechanical and hydraulic blades CHARACTERIZED because the blade must be positioned on the ground where the bucket change will be carried out, a position that represents 0° (figure 15), and at 45° to its left the work table that supports the lectern and the articulating coupling, in turn, at 45° to its right the low bed truck is positioned with the new or repaired bucket; In this way, the mechanical shovel, in its 0° position, is disconnected from the bucket to be repaired, the handle is raised and it rotates 45° to the left where the work table awaits it, and the handle is lowered by the action. of the lifting cables, positioning it on the articulating coupling, and then connecting it to it, which must be on the lectern fixed to the work table, so it must be disconnected from the lectern (figure 16); Then the shovel returns 45° to its zero degree position, the handle is lowered and the bucket to be repaired is connected again and rotates 30° to the right, so that in that area the bucket is disconnected for the second time. repair (figure 7), the handle is raised and it turns 15° to the right where the low bed truck is located with the new or repaired bucket and connects to it, to turn 45° to the left, to its position of origin, and lower the new or repaired bucket and disconnect it, the handle is raised and the shovel turns again 30° to the right in search of the bucket to be repaired, it connects and turns 15° to the right to leave it on the low bed truck (figure 18 figure 119); Finally, the shovel rotates towards the work table and the articulating coupling is disconnected and returns to its original position, where the new or repaired bucket is definitively connected.