US3868964A - Conveyer for slurry hose transportation system - Google Patents

Abstract

A conveyer for a slurry hose transportation system which has a plurality of wheel-supported carts and a linkage system interconnecting the carts. The conveyer provides means for transporting the carts and slurry system through a 180* turn by lifting the wheels from engagement with the ground and directing the linkage during the 180* turn. In one form, the linkage is restrained to a particular geometry so that the hose will maintain a predetermined minimum arc, thereby preventing damage to the preferred slurry hose.

Description

[ Mar. 4, 1975 United States Patent 1 'Tarter et a1.

2,893,540 7/1959 Freeman......................,.... 74/246 X CGNVEYER FOR SLURRY HOSE X X mow B3B3 7 7. 3 .3 H mm In ll 10 m new 2. nk E086 MMDV 678 6667 9999lHHH 26 00 0621 5755 3 347-7- 3260 ,33 3333 ow 0 iO .K, "I." m m yme m M Oak Rh E Lm T In .I S m Y rmlc S N ,W d S w H L T 395d a am a R JGCD 0.. P m m m n M w T I 3 7 Primary E.\'aminerHenry T. Klinksiek [73] Asslgnee gig gg g Company Ponca Attorney, Agent, or Firm-William J. Miller [22] Filed: Aug. 21, 1973 ABSTRACT [2]] Appl. No.: 389,271

A conveyer for a slurry hose transportation system which has a plurality of wheel-supported carts and a linkage system interconnecting the carts. The con- [52] US. 137/344, l37/355.17, 302/14,

veyer provides means for transporting the carts and slurry system through a 180 turn by lifting the wheels from engagement with the ground and directing the 1 U 310 5m 5 65 B5 3 0 9 4 m 3 N 0.0 2H 0 mh c r a e S m m mfw IF N 55 linkage during the 180 turn. In one form, the linkage 302/64, l4, l5, 16; 299/18, 64; 141/279, is restrained to a particular geometry so that the hose 280, 387, 388; 74/246 will maintain a predetermined minimum are, thereby preventing damage to the preferred slurry hose.

[56] References CitedUNITED STATES PATENTS 6 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures 2,803,498 8/1957 Touton............ 137/344 PATENTEDM 4 1SHEET 2 or 5 PATENTEU 3,868,964 sum u [If 5 CONVEYER FOR SLURRY HOSE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This is a continuation of co-pending application Ser. No. 297,113 of the same title filed Oct. 12, 1972, now abandoned. Related subject matter is disclosed in ap plication Ser. No. 294,720, filed Oct. 3, 1972 now abandoned and entitled A Mobile Slurry Handling System, application Ser. No. 298,118, filed Oct. 16, 1972 now abandoned and entitled Slurry Hopper System; and application Ser. No. 298,691, filed Oct. 18, 1972, now abandoned and entitled Linkage Geometry for a Slurry System.

BASIC DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION In the above-mentioned application Ser. No. 297,1 13 an apparatus is disclosed for handling a flexible slurry pipe or hose which is connected between a terminal and a coal digging machine. The slurry handling system includes two hoses, one for transporting water or other fluid and the second for transporting the slurry which consists of the mined material and the fluid mixed together. Transportation of the hose is provided by a plurality of carts which are spaced along the pair of hoses and not only supports the hoses off of the floor of the mine but also provides mobility to the hoses along the axes thereof. The carts are selectively controlled so that the pair of hoses will follow all movements of the coal digging machine into and out of the room where the coal is being dug. A certain portion of the total length of the pair of hoses is positioned in the mine to provide storage so that the coal digging machine can operate for an extended period of time without requiring for example, the slurry hose system.

This invention relates to a method and apparatus for accomplishing the storage necessary for carrying out the above-described invention. In order to provide an adequate length of slurry hoses in the mine, it is necessary to bend the stored hose through a 180 loop. Since the hose is normally quite fragile, it is imperative that the loop be closely controlled so that it does not become too sharp and result in failure ofthe hose. To provide the above, a 180 conveyor system was invented which lifts the hose system along with the carts off the floor along with activating the powered carts so that they can apply power to the active portion of the slurry system. When the carts are returned to storage, the powered carts are deactivated so that they cannot be controlled by signals passing down the system. Mobility is provided the conveyer so that it can accomodate changes in the length of the slurry hose in storage.

DISCUSSION OF THE PRIOR ART Conveyers have been used in the past for many purposes. For example, the US. Pat. to Heimaster, No. 3,301,599, illustrates a conveyer supported by wheels and connected to a mine digging machine. This con veyer, however, does not convey or provide mobility to a slurry hose system but rather conveys the product directly on the conveyer to the disposal terminal.

The US. Pat. to Eric Reichl, No. 3,260,548, illustrates a mining machine connected through a slurry hose system to a terminal for disposing of the product. This patent, however, discloses hoses which are nonsupported but have a slightly greater length than necessary to connect from the terminal to the coal digging machines. As a consequence, some storage is provided by the excessive length of the hoses. The invention thus disclosed, however, does not take into consideration the excessive wear of hoses desired to be used, such as hoses which are made principally of steel reinforced rubber. These hoses may weigh as much as pounds per foot, and movement of a hose of this weight over the rough surface of a mine passage floor will result in early failure of the hose. Furthermore, when the mining machine makes a 90 turn, there is no way disclosed in the Reichl patent to successfully move the hose around the turn.

None of the patents discloses a mobile slurry system where carts, both powered and unpowered, are connected by linkages and where a long length of a slurry hose is stored in the mine. The conveyer is a necessary element in removing the slurry system from storage, conveying it around through 180, activating the carts, and placing the slurry system in a position where it can actively follow the mining machine.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE ADVANTAGES OF THIS INVENTION This invention provides an efficient method for moving a train consisting of powered and unpowered carts connected by a linkage and supporting a pair of slurry hoses, through a 180 turn without overstressing the slurry hoses by stretching, excessively flexing or buckling them. The conveyer further has mobility so that it can follow the lengthening or shortening of that portion of the slurry hose system in storage.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES FIG. 1 is a schematic of the slurry hose transportation system including its connection to the mining machine;

FIG. 2 is a schematic illustrating the method for determining the geometrical configuration of the linkage coupling the various carts;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of one embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 4 is atop view of the conveyer illustrated in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the conveyer shown in FIG. 4 taken through line 55;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the conveyer illustrating the preferred embodiment of this invention;

FIG. 7 is a top view of a 90 turn utilizing the principles utilized in FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a top view of the conveyer illustrated in FIG. 6; and

FIG. 9 is a sectional view of the conveyer illustrated in FIG. 8 taken through lines 99.

Referring to all of the drawings but in particular to FIG. 1, amine digging machine 10 has the product loosened bymachine 10 and picked up by a conveyer 11. The product 12 is dropped into acrusher 13, which may be any usual type crusher such as a roll crusher or three-jaw crusher, and may include means for separating the material that does not need to be crushed and crushing only the larger material. Crushers are well known and will not be further discussed. The material from the crusher is dropped into ahopper 14 which contains water. Awater level control 15 applies a continuous signal throughline 16 to a valve 17 which is connected to awater line 18. Anotherwater line 19 is connected to valve 17 and through a plurality of slots (not shown) communicating with the interior of the hopper. The hopper illustrated herein is for the purposes of assisting in the understanding of the invention and is the subject matter of a patent application entitled Slurry Hopper System, previously identified.

A slurry pump has its inlet connected to theoutlet 21 of hopper l4.Slurry pump 20 has anoutlet 22 connected to aslurry hose 23. Anotherhose 24 is connected towater line 18. Bothhoses 23 and 24 are supported upon a slurry transportation system which essentially comprises a plurality ofcarts 25 connected bylinkage 26. The various links of the linkage 26' are connected together for pivotal movement in a horizontal plane. Aconveyer 27 controls the movement of the carts, linkage and hose assembly around 180turn 28. The termination-of thewater hose 24 andslurry hose 23 is at aremote terminal 29. Asurface separator 30 may be connected toremote terminal 29 through any well knownsystem 31 such as a pipe line.

The operation of the overall system functions as follows:

As themining machine 10 removes product 12, it is carried up by conveyer 11 and passed to crusher 13 where it is deposited inhopper 14.Pump 20 pulls the slurry mixture from the hopper and passes it intoline 23 where it is eventually received at aremote terminal 29, pumped to the surface throughpipe line system 31, and separated byseparator 30. Asmining machine 10 works in and out of the coal seam, the slurry hose must follow these movements.Carts 25, through a servomechanism, will follow the in and out movements of the mining machine. A portion of the slurry and water lines between theconveyer 27 and the remote terminal 29 functions as a storage section. Thus as additional length of hose is needed,conveyer 27 will move in the direction ofarrow 32, shortening the amount in storage and lengthening the amount of hose which can penetrate the mine room with the mining machine. In order to accomplish the above, however, conveyer 27 must move thecarts 25, including the slurry and water hoses supported by it, from a position in storage to a position where it can be utilized by the mining machine.Conveyer 27 accomplishes the transition between storage and active use by lifting the carts upon the conveyer surface and moving the carts through 180 while the conveyer itself is moving in the direction of arrow 33 where additional storage is needed or 32 where less storage is needed. The conveyer also preferably restricts the hose to a definite radius, thereby preventing excess flexing or bending.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF 180 CONVEYER A detailed description of the conveyor is as follows:

Two embodiments of 180conveyer 27 as illustrated in FIG. 1 are described by referring to FIGS. 3 through 6, 8 and 9. Referring first to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 through 5,conveyer 27 is formed in a 180 configuration and hasside panels 41 and 42. A plurality ofconveyer rollers 43 are rotatably journaled betweenside panels 41 and 42.Tractor 44, which may be an electrically driven tractor suitable for use in mines, has a pair ofarms 45a and 45b attached at one end to the tractor and connected at the remaining end to a pair of sets ofrollers 46a and 46!).Side panels 41 and 42 are attached toarms 45a and 45h. A disc 47 is attached to each end ofconveyer rollers 43. A small roller 46: is journaled betweenpanels 41 and 42 at each end of the conveyer to assist in supporting the conveyer on the mine floor.

Referring now to the hose hauler system adapted to utilize the conveyer, a power driven cart comprises a pair of wheels 5], ahose clamp 52, and an electric cable. clamp 53, and amotor 54. Themotor 54 may be electric and operates a hydraulic pump which drives a separate hydraulic motor (not shown) coupled to eachwheel 51. The hydraulic motors are controlled by suitable hydraulic motor controls. An unpowered cart differs from apowered cart 35 in that the unpowered cart does not contain a motor coupled to the wheels, but does contain clamp 52 suitable for rigidly holding the hoses, as well as control boxes, etc., for proper operation of the system. Both thepowered carts 35 and theunpowered carts 60 are coupled together by a combination of short 61 and long 62 linkages which are pivotally interconnected bypins 63 for pivotal movement in a horizontal plane. Theshort links 61 also have ahose clamp 52 attached thereto so that thehoses 23 and 24 will be properly anchored. Electric cables 64 (FIG. 3) are clamped in theclamps 53.Cables 65 are attached to each side of the carts or linkages to act as a safety measure in case of breakage or excessive bending of the slurry hose.

OPERATION The operation of the conveyer illustrated in FIGS. 3 through 5 is as follows:

As the conveyer moves in either direction, thelong links 62 are supported on therollers 43 and between the discs 47.Side panels 41 and 42 are gradually inclined from therollers 46c to the central portion of the conveyer, therefore, as thelinks 62 enter and roll up (on rollers 43) thewheels 51 will be lifted from the mine floor, permitting thecart 60 or 35 to make the turn. Thelinks 62 will be retained between discs 47, restraining the linkage to the exact 180 turn, thus insuring that the total length oflinks 61 and 62 will always equal the length of the hoses above it. The linkage is preferably designed. and such design will be fully de scribed in a subsequent portion of the specification, so that the length of the linkage. whether lying straight or whether lying in a 180 turn, will always have the same length as the axes of thehoses 23 and 24. The preferred design will thus prevent the preferred hoses from buckling because the linkage is too long or too short when it passes around the 180 turn.Tractor 44 provides mobility to the conveyer by virtue of thewheels 46a and 46b androllers 460. As previously described, the mobility will provide the conveyer with forward or backward movement in accordance with the length of the slurry line being utilized at the moment.

The preferred embodiment of the conveyer is illustrated in FIGS. 6, 8, and 9 and essentially comprises acenter platform section 70, a firstside platform section 71, and a secondside platform section 72. Attaching means 66, such as hinges, connects the platform sections to make a unitary structure. Springbiased ramps 73 are connected to thevarious platform sections 70, 71, and 72 and provide a method for easing thecarts 3S and 60 onto the platform. Anarcuate guide panel 74 is attached normal to the surface of each of theplatform sections 70, 71 and 72 and functions as a guide rail for the slurry system.Wheels 67 support the conveyer off the mine floor and provide mobility to the conveyer.Tractor 44 is connected througharms 45a and 45b toplatform section 70.

Linkages 61 and 62 preferably have attached to each pivot point adisc 75 which is journaled on therespective pin 63. Otherwise, the design of the linkage in this embodiment is the same as the design of the linkage in the previous embodiment described in FIGS. 3 through 5 and will be further described in a subsequent portion of the specification.

Slots 69 (FIG. 8) inplatform sections 71 and 72 provide clearance for thelinkage mechanism 61 and 62 anddiscs 75 when the carts are traveling up or downramps 73. Once thecart wheels 51 are onplatform sections 71 and 70 or 72 and 70, there is adequate clearance for the linkage mechanism and discs.

The operation of this embodiment is as followsCarts 35 and 60, whether powered or unpowered, and depending upon their direction of movement, will pass up spring biased ramps 73 ontoplatform sections 71 and 72 and across 70. Once adisc 75 hits guide 74, thedisc 75 will act as a roller, controlling the positon oflinkages 61 and 62 as they pass around the guide panel. However, it is also contemplated that thediscs 75 may be dispensed with and thelinkages 62 and/or 61 slide along theguide 74 to control the movement of the flurry system through 180. As previously mentioned the length of the linkage is important, since the hoses preferably used must pass uniformally around the 180 turn or else they may flex or bend past their critical limit causing damage or failure.

The powered carts are servo-controlled in a manner so that the linkage, when moving, will always be under tension and never under compression. In order to cause movement of the conveyer system, tractor 44 (throughlinkage arms 45a and 45b) will cause the conveyer to move forward or backward as required onwheels 67. Springbiased ramps 73 will lift from the floor of the mine preventing the edge from digging into loose dirt. Only when awheel 51 strikes aramp 73 will it engage the floor and provide a stop for thewheels 51 to be lifted from the floor.

A switch engagement means (not shown) may be used on the conveyer to turn on thepowered carts 35 as they pass over the conveyer to the active side of the system. The same medium will turn them back off when they pass over the conveyer to the storage side.

Attachment means 66 provides a means for collapsing or disassembly of the conveyer to render it easier to move.Guide panel 74 can also be disassembled.

Referring to FIG. 7, a 90 turn is illustrated. Aplate 76 has aguide panel 74 attached to one edge. Theguide panel 74 of the 90 conveyer functions in the same manner as does the guide 74 of the 180 conveyer, except that the 90 conveyer is fixed for each 90 I bend needed. It will be understood that a 90 conveyer at each 90 turn required as illustrated in FIG. 1.

LINKAGE GEOMETRY In the preferred embodiment of this invention the hose for either the slurry or the water is 1 foot in diameter, measured across the outside of the hose. The hose is made of rubber reinforced with steel. The steel prevents collapse of the hose in case a vacuum should be pulled on the system accidentally.

One of the more important restrictions on the operation of the hose hauler vehicle system using the preferred hose is that during a turn the 1 foot diameter hose must not be bent into a radius less than 5 feet measured to the outside of the hose. The approach chosen to insure that this restriction is not violated is to mount thehoses 23 and 24 on alinkage 61 and 62 which will mechanically restrain the hose from bending into a radius less than the forbidden value. The linkage also serves to support the hose between carts preventing it from dragging on the coal mine floor.

The linkage geometry must be such that the hose length and the linkage length are equal when both are bent into a turn. The critical case is the turn. The convenient linkage geometry to restrain the hose in the desired radius on the 180 turn is based on a semidodecagon as illustrated in FIG. 2. Since the outside radius R of the hose bend is 5 feet (maximum bend permitted for the hose) and the outside diameter D, of the hose is 1 foot, then the inside radius R, is 4 feet and the mean radius R of the bend is 4.5 feet. A length of hose in a 180 bend is then 1rR,,, 14.14 feet.

From FIG. 2 the geometry is set up so that a combination of short links (L and long links (L are calculated so that the central portions of the short links always coincide with the center line of the hose and so that the total linkage length between the points where the hose is clamped is always equal to the length of the hose between the same points. Further, the hose is always clamped to the shortest links.

Referring to FIG. 2, the following equations can be written:

L ,2 R,,, tan (oz/2) L ,,2 R sin (04/2) L 12 R Sin With R,,, 4.5 feet, equations (1) through (5) may be solved by using appropriate trigonometric identities to obtain L, 1.585 feet and L 3.127 feet.

The carts, either powered or unpowered, must occupy a short link, since the hoses are clamped at the carts and the hose must move laterally across each long link during turns to prevent damage to the preferred hose.

The preferred 1 foot diameter hose is manufactured in lengths no greater than 50 feet. Since the end connections are a significant component of the hose cost, it is desired that the length of individual hose segments be as long as other restraints allow. The hose connections are made with 16 inch diameter flanges and connections on the lower hose should not interfere with those on the upper hose while connections on both should clear the clamping points on the short links.

Calculations show that a practical linkage design for a hose length of approximately 1,000 feet can form a span of four long links and three short links between carts occupying short links. The distance between axles of the carts is then 4 (1.585 3.127) [8.85 feet. If

each powered cart is to tow two unpowered carts, and if the hose line is to be capable of being reversed (implying a powered cart at each end of the hose), then the total length of the linkage is divided into units of 3 X 18.85 56.55 feet. If the total hose length is not to exceed 1,000 feet, then 17 units of linkage of 56.55 feet will be used (with 18 powered carts and 34 unpowered carts) and the total length of the linkage will be 17 X 56.55 961.4 feet.

In order to prevent the hose flanges from interfering with one another or the clamping points requires that they occur at the midpoints of the long links. Since the midpoints of the long links are spaced at increments equal to 1.585 3.127 4.712 feet, the hose length must be in increments of this length and no greater than 50 feet. Thus, the hose length is 47.12 feet. If 21 lengths of hose are used each way, the total length of hose would be 989.5 feet, which is 28.12 feet longer than the linkage. It can thus be concluded that 38 lengths of hose 47.12 feet long plus 4 lengths of hose of the length required to make the end connections will be used.

The subject matter of the linkage geometry including the concept of connecting powered carts by a rigid linkage and clamping the hose along the rigid linkage in distance sufficiently close to prohibit expansion of the hose under pressure is the subject matter of a patent application entitled Linkage Geometry for a Slurry System, identified above.

The concept of conveying the slurry hose and carts from the storage portion to the action portion of the system rendered the slurry hose transportation system feasible. Two embodiments are disclosed which illustrate satisfactory methods for accomplishing the 180 turn. Modifications can be made to the embodiments disclosed herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. In a system for transporting a slurry from a mining machine in a mine having a floor. and which includes at least one flexible hose supported by a plurality of wheeled carts spaced along the length of the hose and links pivotally interconnected with one another and the carts for pivotal movement in a horizontal plane, and wherein the hose is required to be transferred in a bend between a storage section and a parallelly located active section as the need for the hose changes. the improvement comprising:

a conveyer movably supporting the hose, carts and links off of the mine floor in the 180 bend portion of the hose, and

means attached to the conveyer for moving the conveyer along the mine floor parallel to the storage section of the hose as the hose is being transferred between the active and storage sections.

2. The improvement defined in claim 1 wherein the conveyer includes a platform extending above the mine floor to support the wheels of the cart and thereby the hose and links.

3. The improvement defined in claim 2 wherein the platform is supported substantially parallel to the mine floor, and characterized further to include ramps extending from the platform to the mine floor arranged to engage the wheels of the carts as the conveyer is moved to move the carts onto and off of the platform.

4. The improvement defined in claim 1 wherein discs are journaled to the links to turn in a horizontal plane, and wherein the conveyer includes a platform extending above the mine floor to support the wheels of the carts, and an arcuate guide plate protruding above the platform arranged to engage the discs and guide the hose, links and carts during movement thereof over the conveyer.

5. The improvement defined in claim 1 wherein the conveyer includes a pair of parallel side panels extending substantially in a semi circle when viewed in plan, and rollers journaled between the side panels arranged to engage and movably support the links and thereby the hose and carts.

6. The improvement defined inclaim 5 wherein the side panels slope upwardly from the ends thereof for raising and lowering the links, hose and carts moving over the conveyer.

Claims (6)

1. In a system for transporting a slurry from a mining machine in a mine having a floor, and which includes at least one flexible hose supported by a pLurality of wheeled carts spaced along the length of the hose and links pivotally interconnected with one another and the carts for pivotal movement in a horizontal plane, and wherein the hose is required to be transferred in a 180* bend between a storage section and a parallelly located active section as the need for the hose changes, the improvement comprising: a conveyer movably supporting the hose, carts and links off of the mine floor in the 180* bend portion of the hose, and means attached to the conveyer for moving the conveyer along the mine floor parallel to the storage section of the hose as the hose is being transferred between the active and storage sections.

2. The improvement defined in claim 1 wherein the conveyer includes a platform extending above the mine floor to support the wheels of the cart and thereby the hose and links.

3. The improvement defined in claim 2 wherein the platform is supported substantially parallel to the mine floor, and characterized further to include ramps extending from the platform to the mine floor arranged to engage the wheels of the carts as the conveyer is moved to move the carts onto and off of the platform.

4. The improvement defined in claim 1 wherein discs are journaled to the links to turn in a horizontal plane, and wherein the conveyer includes a platform extending above the mine floor to support the wheels of the carts, and an arcuate guide plate protruding above the platform arranged to engage the discs and guide the hose, links and carts during movement thereof over the conveyer.

5. The improvement defined in claim 1 wherein the conveyer includes a pair of parallel side panels extending substantially in a semi circle when viewed in plan, and rollers journaled between the side panels arranged to engage and movably support the links and thereby the hose and carts.

6. The improvement defined in claim 5 wherein the side panels slope upwardly from the ends thereof for raising and lowering the links, hose and carts moving over the conveyer.

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