Abstract:
A vehicle supported mine item positioning apparatus for placing, for example, heavy mining conveyor belt items such as roller assemblies, conveyor frame side rails, frame sections or the like in precise positions for attachment to other conveyor structure, wherein the vehicle can get into cramped quarters in the mine alongside the conveyor and extend, retract, rotate and further manipulate an item pick-up crane mounted on the vehicle, whereby the crane with item pick-up means mounted on an end thereof can pick up and place, e.g., a roller assembly in a precise position and posture on a conveyor frame for making said attachment, and further in a preferred embodiment, the apparatus is provided with second crane means for lifting a moving conveyor belt off of a roller assembly for replacement of said assembly with or without stopping the belt, whereby worker lifting and manipulation of heavy roller assemblies or other heavy mining structures is eliminated.

Description:
This application claims benefit of Applicants pending Provisional entitled “MECHANICAL CONVEYOR ROLLER ASSEMBLY INSTALLING SYSTEM” filed Feb. 3, 2006 as No. 60/765,151. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field 
     This invention is directed to an apparatus for lifting and placing heavy items in precise position for installation such as installing heavy mine belt roller assemblies which include, for example three heavy rollers mounted on a steel frame, as repair or for belt extensions or the like in underground tunnel mining operations. 
     In the field of underground mining, most mines transport material from the mining faces to the outside of the mine by means of belt conveyors. Even in shaft mines, conveyor belts usually transport the material to the shaft skips. As an example of one typical situation, as mining progresses, conveyor beltlines must be extended by installing conveyor belt, top run and return run idler rollers, and support structure therefor. In the higher production mines which have wider belts, larger and much heavier roller assemblies and frame structure are required to support the conveyor belts. 
     2. Prior Art 
     Heretofore, installing the roller assemblies, for example, has been very difficult for the workers, to the point of being a chronic safety issue. A single top roller assembly can weigh over 300 lbs. requiring four or more workers to lift and manipulate the assembly in precise mounting position on supporting rails of a conveyor. Medium size idler assemblies weighing 100 lbs. or so each are still a safety issue. A single back injury can cost a mining company over $500,000. 
     Installing the larger belt components is also a production efficiency issue. Work accomplished per hour in making an installation is slow, and considerable production can be lost due to the extended time required to make, for example, a belt advancement (extension). Needed for years has been a good mechanical means to lift, manipulate and precisely position the larger roller assemblies and frame structure to reduce difficulty, number of workers, man hours, injuries, and downtime encountered in the installation. Further, in the case of coal mining, which is the largest segment of underground mining in general, the tunnel width is limited, by law, to 20 feet. The belt lines are usually installed with the edge of the belt line on the center line of the shaft entry leaving a maximum of about 10 feet lateral space in which to accomplish a mechanical installation of roller assemblies or other structure. Also involved in developing a viable mechanical alternative to the human back is the limited vertical room to the mine roof such that large equipment may not fit into the shaft. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     A vehicle supported lifting system for placing, for example, heavy mining conveyor belt items such as roller assemblies, conveyor frame side rails, frame sections or the like in precise positions for attachment to other conveyor structure, wherein the vehicle can get into cramped quarters in the mine alongside the conveyor and extend, retract, rotate and further manipulate an item pick-up crane mounted on the vehicle, whereby the crane with item pick-up means mounted on an end thereof can pick up and place, e.g., a roller assembly in a precise position and posture on a conveyor frame for making said attachment, and further in a preferred embodiment, the apparatus is provided with second crane means for lifting a moving conveyor belt off of a roller assembly for replacement of said assembly with or without stopping the belt, whereby worker lifting and manipulation of heavy roller assemblies or other heavy mining structures is eliminated. 
     As used herein: 
     Conveyor belt: is the conveyor belting itself; 
     Top Roller Assembly: this is the frame and one horizontal and two side angle rollers built into a roller assembly that supports the conveyor belt top run; 
     Return Roller Assembly: is usually one single roller that supports the return side (bottom run) of the conveyor belt; 
     Support Structure: are the stands and rail system that the roller assemblies are mounted on and fastened to. The support structure can stand on the mine floor or can be suspended from the mine roof. 
     The present system is designed primarily to remove or install the top roller assemblies since they are the heaviest and most difficult items to handle and affix. The conventionally used top roller assemblies are not required to be changed or modified to accept the mechanical means of the present invention in order to allow precise positioning and maintenance of the roller assemblies on the conveyor frame while affixing them thereto. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention will become understood further from the drawings and description thereof, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a top down perspective view of the present positioning apparatus in a mine shaft or mine tunnel in the process of picking up a conveyor belt roller assembly from a fork lift pallet; 
         FIGS. 2-4  are subsequent progressions of  FIG. 1  of the process of placing a roller assembly in precise position on a conveyor frame by use of the present apparatus; 
         FIG. 5  is a side view of  FIG. 1  taken along line  5 - 5  in  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view showing the present apparatus placing a conveyor rail section in position for installation; 
         FIG. 7  is an enlarged view of an embodiment of the present apparatus showing a preferred clamping device for holding a roller assembly precisely and securely on the present apparatus; 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective view of a preferred base structure for the present apparatus; 
         FIG. 8A  is an end view taken along line  8 A- 8 A in  FIG. 8 ; 
         FIG. 8B  is an end view, slightly in perspective, taken along line  8 B- 8 B in  FIG. 8 ; 
         FIG. 9  is a partially cross-sectioned view of one working embodiment of the present primary crane with first stanchion means and lifting boom; 
         FIG. 9A  is a view of elements of embodiments of the present invention, taken along the reference lines  9 A- 9 A in  FIG. 9 ; 
         FIG. 9B  is a view of elements of embodiments of the present invention; 
         FIG. 9C  is a view of elements of embodiments of the present invention, taken along the reference lines  9 C- 9 C in  FIG. 9 ; 
         FIG. 9D  is a view of alternative embodiments of the first and second sections of the present invention; 
         FIG. 10  is a side view of an embodiment of a universal motion power system for the item gripping means; 
         FIG. 10A  is a partially sectioned view taken along line  10 A- 10 A in  FIG. 10 ; 
         FIG. 10B  is a view taken along line  10 B- 10 B in  FIG. 10 ; 
         FIG. 11  shows the present apparatus mounted on a pallet trailer wherein the hydraulic power source is mounted on a connected or separate trailer; 
         FIG. 12  is a top view of a variation of the power means for moving section  43  on section  38 ; 
         FIG. 13  is a longitudinal cross-section taken along line  13 - 13  in  FIG. 8A  showing another variation of the power means for moving section  43  on section  38 ; 
         FIG. 14  is a side view of the belt lifting mechanism taken along line  14 - 14  in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 15  is a top down view taken along line  15 - 15  in  FIG. 8B  showing the back to back dual cylinder mounting; and 
         FIG. 16  is a perspective view showing the mining item placement crane and the belt lifting crane both in action. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The present invention will be understood further with reference to the drawings and to the claims herein wherein the invention comprises an apparatus generally designated  20  for picking up heavy structural items such as individual roller assemblies  22 , pallets  24  loaded with such assemblies, conveyor railing  26  and/or floor stands therefor  26 F, roof supports, air stoppings and the like, particularly as used in coal mines or other mines, especially where the items are to be manipulated into confined spaces for assembly, and then placing the items in precise positions for assembly onto structures located in said confined quarters. 
     The lifting is done by a crane generally designated  19  which is mounted on a base means generally designated  34  of the apparatus, which base means is adapted for attachment to a vehicle such as an articulated power mine tractor  28 , a mine supply vehicle, trailer  30 , fork lift truck, farm tractor, skid steer or the like, including a non-wheeled skid, all having a transport axis  32 . A hydraulic power system  29  is preferably provided on the vehicle or the base means. The base means  34  has a first base section  36  adapted for attachment (by mounting plate  36 A or other similar structure), either permanent or removable, to said vehicle at, for example, a face plate  36 B thereof. The base means  34  further has a second base section  38  mounted on said first section  36  for movement with respect thereto in a generally horizontal first plane  40 . A first power means  42  is provided for controllably moving said second section  38  relative to said first section  36  in said first plane  40 . A third base section  43  is mounted on said second section  38  for movement with respect thereto in a generally horizontal second plane  44  by second power mans  46 . By means of these three base sections, a greater lateral reach can be achieved by the positioning of the second and third sections without requiring a berth greater than the width of the vehicle. For example, double sliding bases with a 60 inch frame can provide an 84 inch total slide. 
     A first stanchion means  48  is pivotally mounted on a generally vertical axis  50  on said third section  43  for movement with said third section in said second generally horizontal plane  44 , and third power means  52  is provided for pivoting said first stanchion means about said substantially vertical axis  50 . A lifting boom  54  having a longitudinal axis  56  has an inner end portion  58  pivotally mounted on an upper end portion  60  of said first stanchion means for pivoting of said boom in a generally vertical plane  62 . A fourth power means  64  is provided for controllably pivoting said boom in said generally vertical plane  62 . 
     A structural item gripping means generally designated  66  is mounted on an outer end  68  of said boom by fifth power means generally designated  70  for pivoting said gripping means into a desired posture relative to said boom, and wherein said boom is constructed with extendable-retractable boom sections of any number such as  2 - 6 , but preferably three such as  72 ,  74 ,  76  for elongating or shortening said boom respectively, and wherein sixth power means is provided for extending and retracting said sections. 
     Referring further to base mans  34  and  FIGS. 8 ,  8   a ,  8   b  and  9   b , this base structure is preferably constructed of heavy steel components, e.g., ½-¾ in. thick steel sections welded together to form a plurality of I-beam frames  36 I and  38 I, as depicted in monolithic form as in the figures. The second base section  38  is provided with longitudinally extending slide bars  80  of low friction, readily slidable, tough plastic material such as poly tetra fluoroethylene (Teflon), polyoxymethylene (Delrin), high density polyurethane or the like which can resist the wear of long term sliding in channels  82  of the first base section. These bars are held in place in the channels preferably by steel strips  84  having bolts  86  spaced longitudinally therealong and welded thereto. In assembling these bars on section  38 , strips  84  are slid longitudinally into slots  88  to where the ends of the strips and bars substantially coincide. The bolts, affixed to strips  84 , are then inserted thru holes which were predrilled thru  38  at the same longitudinal spacing as the bolts. Nuts  92  are then tightened to securely and immovably fasten the bars to  38 . 
     As a variation, strips  84  with the bolts welded thereto can be mounted within the bars at the same position as shown by casting the plastic around the strips rather than employing slots  88 . Also, as shown in  FIG. 9D  roller bearings (or CAM Followers) such as  94  or the equivalent mounted on supports  96  which is welded in strategically longitudinally spaced positions on section  38  can be used to rollably support section  38  on section  36 , both upper and lower portions thereof. Conversely, such rollers can be mounted on section  36  rather than section  38  by bearing means known to the art. 
     The above described bars  80  and their mountings are also preferably employed for the third base section  43  and the equivalent structures are numbered the same. The above described roller bearing variation is also applicable for the third base section. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 8 ,  8 A and  8 B, the opposed hydraulic cylinders  35 ,  37  for powering the sliding motion of section  38  on section  36  are fixed relative to each other in a housing  39  which is longitudinally movable and free floating within a channel  41  of section  36 . Piston  45  is fixed at its end to section  36  by pin  47  and piston  49  is fixed at its end to section  38  by pin  122 . With this structure, simultaneous extension of both pistons  45 ,  49  will move section  38  longitudinally along section  36  toward position A on  36 , and simultaneous retraction of these pistons will move section  38  toward piston B on  36  ( FIG. 7 ). 
     In similar manner the opposed hydraulic cylinders  55 ,  57  for powering the sliding motion of section  43  on section  38  are fixed relative to each other in a housing  53  which is longitudinally movable and free floating within a channel  117  of section  38 . Piston  118  is fixed at its end to section  38  by pin  119  and piston  120  is fixed at its end to section  43  by pin  121 . With this structure, simultaneous extension of both pistons  118 ,  120  will move section  43  (and crane  19 ) longitudinally along section  38  toward position C on  38  ( FIG. 7 ), and simultaneous retraction of these pistons will move section  43  (and crane  19 ) toward position D on  38 . All of the above pistons are double acting. 
     Two useful alternative power means for moving section  38  on section  36  and for moving section  43  on section  38  are shown in  FIG. 12  for sections  38  and  43  as an example. In  FIG. 12  a gear rack  123  of a rack and pinion set is longitudinally affixed to section  38  and an electric or hydraulic motor  124  is mounted on  43  such that its drive gear  125  meshes with rack  123 . Section  43  is slidably mounted on  38  in the manner shown for example in either of  FIG. 8A  or  9 D. 
     In  FIG. 13  the power means comprises a roller chain or V-belt or the like  126  fixed as by link means  129  to a depending bracket  130  of base section  43 , and mounted on sprockets or pulley wheels  127  respectively, either or both of which sprockets or pulley wheels is driven by, e.g., hydraulic or electric motors. For the chain or belt a supporting slide plate such as  128  affixed to  38  is preferably provided. 
     Referring further to  FIGS. 9 ,  9 A,  9 B and  9 C, a mounting structure and rotative power means for the first stanchion means  48  is shown as a main gear  98  welded to the bottom of a lower section  100  of the stanchion wherein the outer portion  101  of the bottom of  98  is circularly grooved to accommodate a ring of ball bearings  102  which also rest in an adjacent circular groove in a stanchion base  104 . The base  104  is bolted as at  106  to third base section  42  for sliding movement therewith. It is noted that section  42  can be used as the stanchion base  104 . A hold down rim  108  and a brass or the like ring shaped wear bushing  110  slidingly engages the upper surface of gear  98  and holds stanchion  48  in its upright posture. An electric motor  112  or equivalent is mounted on bracket  114  bolted as at  115  to stanchion base  104  and its output shaft carries a drive gear  116  engaged with gear  98  for rotating stanchion  48  in response to operator signal. 
     Stanchion  48  preferably is formed of two sections, lower  100  and upper  59 . A hydraulic cylinder  61 , single or double acting, is affixed to stanchion  48  or to gear  98  and to upper section  59  for adjusting the vertical position of boom  54 . The upper section  59  is pivotally mounted by pin  63  to the boom, and a hydraulic cylinder  64  is pivotally affixed to section  59  and the boom for controllably pivoting the boom in plane  62 . 
     In the example shown, boom  54  is formed by any number of mutually slidable sections and three sections  72 ,  74  and  76  are preferred. These sections may be provided with internal rollers  65 ,  67  mounted for rotation on the outer ends of sections  72  and  74 , respectively and with external rollers  69 ,  71  mounted for rotation on the inner ends of section  74  and  76  respectively. Double acting hydraulic cylinder  73  is affixed to inner end cap  75  of section  74  and to inner end cap  77  of section  76  for controllably extending and retracting section  76 . The hydraulic lines  79 ,  81  extend rearwardly thru opening  83  in cap  75  and exit thru bottom opening  85  over roller  87  rotatably mounted on section  72 . A tension spring  89  is affixed by clamp  91  or equivalent to lines  79 ,  81  in order to maintain sufficient tension on these lines to prevent kinking thereof as the piston  93  of hydraulic cylinder  95  is retracted. This piston is affixed to cap  75  and double acting cylinder  95  is affixed to end cap  97  of section  72 . The hydraulic lines  103 ,  105  for cylinder  95  exit thru openings  99  in cap  97 . Manually operable lever operated control valves for all of the hydraulics is provided in conventional manner. 
     The item contact portions of the gripping means  66  can take a variety of configurations depending on the shape of the item, and a highly preferred configuration for gripping a typical belt roller assembly is shown in  FIGS. 7 ,  10 ,  10 A and  10 B wherein a fork lift type gripping means is shown. A hydraulic cylinder  103  or heavy duty solenoid is mounted on the top frame portion  105  and with a sliding clamp  103 A serves to clamp the roller assembly frame  107  against the forks  109 ,  111 . 
     A part of the gripping means  66  is the articulating devices therefor, generally designated  21 . These devices, preferably, with reference to the roller assembly and to  FIG. 7  give universal articulation in endwise up and down rotation  23 , in sideways rotation  25 , and in up and down tilt  27 . These devices can be electrical motor-gear type, hydraulic cylinder type, but preferably a hybrid (combination) of rotary hydraulic actuators  29  and  33 , and electrical motor-gear types  31 . A typical rotary hydraulic actuator useful in the present invention is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,447,095 the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. In  FIGS. 7 and 10 , actuator  33  tilts the forks as  27 , actuator  29  rotates the forks sideways as  25 , and electrical motor-gear  31  (by means of a tilt rotator ring gear  31 A) rotates the forks as  23 . For certain uses all three power devices may not be necessary, in which case whichever motion is not needed, its associated device can be eliminated. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 14 and 16 , the belt lifting crane generally designated  131 , in a preferred embodiment is constructed the same as item lifting crane  19  as described above except that the lateral slide base mans  36 ,  38 ,  43 , the item gripping means  66 , and the articulating device  21  are not needed; however, a sliding bracket  131 B may be provided, as shown in  FIGS. 1-3 . In that regard the end  133  of boom (or telescoping arms)  134  can be fixed to the belt lift frame  135  since only generally lateral extension and retraction of the boom sections and possibly vertical pivoting of the boom by hydraulic piston  136  is needed in order to move frame  135  underneath the belt and out from under the belt. Attached to frame  135  is a central roller  137  and side rollers  138 ,  139 , the latter being mounted on frame  135  for up and down pivoting about pins  140  such that in the down positions they can lie on the rotational axis  141  of roller  137  for supporting a flat belt, and in the up position can accord to a conventional cradled belt. Arms  144  are fixed to the roller shaft body of  138  and  139  such as to give the up and down positions. Brackets  142  and  143  on frame  135  are provided with, e.g., bolt holes and bolts for retaining the arms in a selected one of the aforesaid positions. This element is shown in use in  FIG. 1  wherein a conveyor belt (top side)  150  is lifted up away from the conveyor belt (return side)  151  by the belt lift frame assembly  135  hereinabove described, said frame extending from the boom of the lifting crane  131 . In one embodiment side rollers  138  and  139  are about 9 inches long, the central roller  137  is about 34 inches long, the lateral distance between the lower portion of arms  144  is about 20 9/16 inches, and the distance between the top of the side rollers  138  and  139  and the bottom of the lower portion of arms  144  is about 14½ inches. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 1-3 , a fork lift  160  may further be incorporated between the base  34  and the vehicle so as to facilitate transportation of pallets of conveyor rails and the like. 
     The invention has been described in detail with particular reference to preferred embodiments thereof, but it will be understood that variations and modifications will be effected with the spirit and scope of the invention.