Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
Specification
This invention relates to the art o-f handling
conveyor belts, and, more particularly, to apparatus
-for shifting long runs of large conveyor belts.
Large conveyor belt systems are frequently employed
to transport mined materials in an open pit mine from the
mining point to a processing or transfer position. By way
of example, a large conveyor belt system is employed
at the Great Canadian Oil Sands mine in Northern Alberta,
Canada, to transfer tar sands mined by two giant bucketwheel
e~cavators to the processing plant where the tar sancls
are processed to e~tract synthetic crude oil.
At the GCOS mine, the ore body is divided into two
layers or benches, each on the order o-E 75' in height.
The pit floor and the dividing plane between the upper
and lower benches are roughly hori70ntal. ~lining is
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carried out by two bucketwheel excavators, and tar sands
loosened from the face of each bench by the bucketwheel
are discharged onto a crawler-mounted belt wagon. The
belt wagons, in turn, discharge onto movable conveyors
which are advanced from time to time in the direction of
mining. The movable conveyors discharge onto trunk
conveyors which feed a main conveyor. As the mining
proceeds, both the trunk conveyors and the main conveyor
must also be repositioned.
It is the practice to move the conveyor belts,
which are mounted on skids, by attaching a large crawler-
type tractor to the conveyor which is then pulled a foot
or two transversely as the tractor is repeatedly driven
along the length of the conveyor until the whole system
has been urged into the new position. The somewhat makeshift
prior art apparatus by which the tractor is coupled to the
conveyor to be moved is characterized by its difficulty
of attachment to the tractor and by poor performance which
often results in damage to the conveyor being hand]ed.
As a result, the moving process becomes remarkably time
consuming and requires an inordinate amount of labor.
Thus, it will be apparent to those skilled in the
art that it would be highly desirable to provide means
for sa-Eely and quickly shiEting long conveyor belt lengths,
and the present invention is directed to achieving this
result.
It is thereEore a broad object o-f this invention
to provide improved means for shifting the position oE
long conveyor belt systems which are supported on skids.
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It is another object of this invention to provide such
means by which the conveyor belt shifting operation is accom-
plished quickly and without subjecting the conveyor belt system
to undue strain.
It is a more specific object of this invention to provide
such means by which a large crawler-tvpe tractor is coupled to
a rail which runs along the length of the conveyor belt system
such that the conveyor belt may be urged in the desired direction
as the tractor is driven along the length of the conveyor belt
system.
In accordance with the present teachings, there is provided
in a system for moving a skid mounted conveyor belt which is
provided with a rail along the length thereof, a shifting
apparatus for applying a pulling and lifting force to the rail
and hence the conveyor belt which comprises a vehicle, a frame
affixed to the vehicle with the frame including a lower portion
and an overhead portion with the overhead frame portion extending
outwardly beyond the lower frame portion on a first side of the
vehicle, a hydraulic cylinder is provided carried by the frame
on second side of the vehicle opposite the first side thereof,
a coupling device is provided situated on the first side of the
vehicle and is adapted for detachable rolling engagement with
the rail with the coupling device including at least one pair
of rollers adapted to engage opposite sides of the rail at least
one of the rollers of the pair being further adapted, by manual
operable means, for selective lateral movement toward and away
from the rail to facilitate engagement and disengagement between
the coupling device and the rail with the manually operable means
including a handle, a linkage arm pivotally connected to and in
axial alignment with the handle and the linkage arm having its
other end pivotally fixed with a rocker member carrying, at its
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lowex end, the laterally moveable roller with the rocker member
being pivotally fixed intermediate along its length and pivotally
connected to its upper end to the handle intermediate the length
thereof, a cable is provided connected between the hydraulic
cylinaer and the coupling device with first and second pulleys
affixed to the frame overhead portion and adapted to constrain
the cable to extend from the hydraulic cylinder upwardly to the
first pulley across the frame overhead portion to the second
pulley and generally downwardly to the coupling device at a
generally horizontal brace means provided pivotally fixed at a
first end to the frame lower portion and at a second end to the
coupling device.
The subject matter of the invention is particularly pointed
out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of the
8pecification. The invention, however, both as to organization
and method of operation, may best be understood by reference to
the following description taken in connection with the accompany-
ing drawing of which:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a crawler type tractor
~itted with the conveyor belt shifting apparatus according to
the pre~ent invention:
Figure 2 is a front plan view of the shifting apparatus
illustrating the manner in which it is coupled to a rail affixed
~o ~he conveyor belt system;
Figure 3 is a fragmentary view of an adjustable pivot arm
con~tituting an integral part of the shi~ting system;
Figure 4 illustrates the mechanism by which the shi~ting
system is rollably affixed to the rail; and
Figures 5, 6 and 7 are sequential views illustrating an
exemplary procedure for shifting a conveyor belt system employ-
ing the apparatus of the present invention.
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Briefly, the foregoing and other objects of the
invention are accomplished by affixing a frame to a
crawler type tractor, which frame includes an overhead
portion which carries, at an outboard position, suspension
means for a coupling device which is adapted to rollably
engage a rail. A first section of the frame extends
forwardly from both sides of the tractor and around its
front where support is provided by hydraulic cylinder means.
Another hydraulic cylinder is positioned on the side of
the frame away from the coupling means and is adapted for
vertical motion. A cable extends from the vertically
translating hydraulic cylinder upwardly and across guide
pulleys which suspend the cables across the frame top and
down to the coupling device which may be fixed to ~he rail.
The coupling device is lever actuated for quick connect/
disconnect operation.
When a conveyor belt system is to be moved, the
tractor is brought into position parallel to and near
thè conveyor belt such that the coupling device can be
fixed to the rail. Thereafter, the vertically translating
cylinder is actuated to slightly lift the rail, and hence
the skids, and the tractor is driven along the length
of the conveyor at a distance on the order of one
or two feet. When the tractor reaches the end o:E the
conveyor run being moved, the tractor is moved outboard
another Eoot or two and backed down the length of the
conveyor; and this procedure is continued until the
desired new position of the system is obtained. The
apparatus of the present invention may then be removed
from the tractor and stored until it is again desired to
move a conveyor belt system.
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For a more detailed understanding of a presently
preferred embodiment of the invention, attention is
directed to the drawing and specifically first to
Figure 1 wherein a crawler-type tractor 1 is shown fitted
with the li~ting apparatus 2 which constitutes the present
invention. ~ frame structure of the lifting apparatus
includes a generally horizontal portion 3 which extends
from one side of the tractor 1 forwardly, around the front
of the tractor, and rearwardly to the other side of the
tractor. The rearmost ends of the horizontal frame portion
3 are each pivotally affixed to the tractor at pivot points
4, and the forward end of the horizontal frame portion 3
is supported by a pair of hydraulic cylinders 5 situa-ted
on either side o-E the tractor 1. Those knowledgeable
of crawler tractors will appreciate that the hydraulic
cylinders 5 are common appurtenance to such a tractor
and are routinely employed to support and control other
tractor fixtures such as grading blades. Thus, the
cylinders S simply constitute a ready means for supporting
2~ the front end of the horizontal frame portion 3, and it
will be ~mderstood that other support means or this area
may be substituted should the lifting apparatus be :Eitted
to a tractor which does not have hydraulic cy:linders
corresponding to the cylinders 5 already in place.
Upwardly extending frame sections 6 and 7 rest on
the after regions on each side of the horizontal frame
portion 3, and the upper ends of the upwardly frame portions
6 and 7 are connected by a horizontal beam 8. The
horizontal beam 8 includes an outboard section 9 which
extends well beyond the upwardly extending frame member 7,
and this outboard portion 9 is supported near its outer
end by an angularly upwardly and outwardly extending frame
member 10.
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A vertically oriented linear motion means
comprising a hydraulic cylinder 11 rests on a platform
12 which extends outwardly from the horizontal frame
member 3 and is positioned such that the cylinder 11 is
generally in alignment with the vertical frame member 6.
The upper end of the actuator 13 of the hydraulic cylinder
11 is connected to a cable 1~ which passes over a first
guide pulley 15, across the top of the beam 8, around
a second guide pulley 16 and down to coupling apparatus
to be described below. The hydraulic cylinder 11 receives
hydraulic fluid through the lines 17 and 18 from control
means (not shown) under conventional control from the
operator's cab o~ the tractor 1.
Referring now to Figure 2, it will be observed that
the end of the cable 14 which passes over the pulley 16
is connected, by means of a clevis 19, to support structure
20 for a coupling mechanism 21. The distance between the
coupling mechanism 21 and the bottom of the frame members
7 and 10 is governed by an arm 22 which extends horizontally
between the coupling mechanism 21 and the pivotal mounting
means 23 disposed adjacent the junctions of the frame
members 7 and 10. As best shown in Figure 3, the
pivotal mounting means comprises a pair of spaced-apart
plates 2~ 25, each of which is provided with three
vcr~ically aligned bearing apertures. In Figure 3, the
arm 22 is shown ixed to position on the lowermost pair
of apertures by a shaft 26 held in place by pins 27
fixed outboard to the plates 2~ and 25. Thus, it will
be understood that the vertical position of the tractor-
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mounted end of the arm 22 may be raised to either ofthe alternate positions represented by the aperture
pairs 28 and 29 for reasons which will become more
apparent as the description of the apparatus proceeds.
Referring again to Figure 2, and also to Figure
4, it will be seen that the coupling mechanism 21 includes
a housing 30 with first and second manually operable
levers 31 and 32 affixed at pivot points 33 and 34 to
rocker members 39 and 40 which extend upwardly from
the top of the housing 30. Rearwardly extending linkage
arms 35 and 36 are pivotally fixed at one end to the
respective handles 31 and 32 and at the other end to
pivot points 37 and 38.
The rocker members 39 and 40 have affixed, at
their respective lower ends, rollers 41 and 42, which
rollers are adapted to engage one edge of a rail 43.
In Figure 4, the handle 31, and consequently the roller
41 which pivots about a pivot point 46, is shown in the
coupled position in which the rail 43 is secured engaged
by the roller 41 and a stationary roller 45. It will be
understood that another roller, corresponding to the
roller 45 is positioned opposite the roller 42 which is
shown in the uncoupled position in Figure 4 merely :Eor
purposes oE illustration. It will be understood that the
handles 31, 32 and the rollers 41,42 are ordinarily in
the same position depending upon whether or not the coupling
mechanism 21 is engaged with the rail 43.
In order to couple the apparatus to the conveyor
system, the tractor 1, fitted with the lifting apparatus
2, is maneuvered into position beside the conveyor such
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that coupling mechanism 21, with the handles 31 and 32
in the up position to provide clearance for the rail
43 between the rollers ~1, 42, 45, may be brought into
position onto the rail. The handles 31, 32, are then
pushed down to detent the rollers 41 and ~2 into engagement
with the rail 43 by the slightly overcenter position
o the pivot points 47 and 48 which couple, respectively,
the rear of the handle 31 and the linkage arm 35 and
the rear of the handle 32 and the linkage arm 36. I~
necessary, the pivotal mounting means 23, Figure 3, is
adjusted to a different pair of apertures in order to
maintain the arm 22 approxlmately horizontal when the rail
~3 is engaged.
Once the apparatus is coupled to the conveyor
system, its use in urging the conveyor system to a new
position is relatively straightforward. In practice,
different operators may use somewhat diferent techniques,
but the sequence shown in Figures 5, 6 and 7 is exemplary
of one such technique. As shown in Figure 5, the coupling
2n mechanism 21 will have been connected to the rail ~3
at a position ~such as the point ~9) near one end 50
of the conveyor 51 which is to be repositioned. The
tractor 1 is then backed at an angle :Eor a ew eet to
pull the end 5n of the conveyor 51 a :Eoot or two in the
d~ir~d direction. The tractor 1 is then straightened out,
nnd driven, as shown in Figure 6? in the forward direction
and parallel to the ori~inal position of the conveyor
belt 51 which is slightly lifted and pulled toward the
tractor l on the skids 52 a foot or two in the desired
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direction. When the end of the run is reached, the
operator causes the tractor 1 to per~orm a maneuver
similar to that shown in Figure 5 to urge that end into
another increment of movement, and the tractor 1 is then
backed toward the first end of the conveyor 51 to li-ft
and urge the conveyor another ~oot or two in the desired
direction on the skids. This process is repeated until
the conveyor section has been repositioned as intended.
Therea-fter, the ram 13 (Figure 2) of the hydraulic cylinder
11 is extended to slacken the cable 1~, thereby permitting
removal of the coupling mechanism 21 by lifting the
handles 31 and 32 (Figure 4) to disengage the rollers 41
and 42 from the rail 43. Subsequently, the entire
lifting apparatus 2 may be removed from the tractor and
stored until it is again necessary to move a conveyor belt
system.
While the principles of the invention have now
been made clear in an illustrative embodiment, there will
be immediately obvious to those skilled in the art many
modifications of structure, arrangements, proportions,
the elements, materials, and components, used in the
practice of the invention which are particularly adapted
for specific environments and operating requirements
without departing from those principles.
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