APPARATUS FOR A MACHINE

Abstract: This invention relates to a device in machines provided with a supporting part in the form of a preferably hydraulically operated lifting crane, the device being intended to connect a load-carrying and/or a load-gripping part of the machine with the supporting part, and the load-carrying and/or the load-gripping part can be rotated and/or tilted in relation to the supporting part. According to the invention the device comprises a wheel (4) which is rotatably arranged in the device and has a circular part (9) extending round the wheel at its peripheral portion, the wheel (4) being intended to be connected with the load-carrying and/or load-gripping part. The circular part (9) has a first, essentially plane portion (10) which is intended to slide against a first, essentially plane portion (19), arranged in a stationary, plate-like means (18A) in the device. The device is so made that the wheel (4) can be locked in relation to the plate (18A) by means of at least two brake blocks (27, 28), which are intended to force the wheel (4) and the plate (18A) to frictional engagement with each other.

Description: APPARATUS FOR A MACHINE This invention relates to an apparatus for machines provided with a supporting part in the form of a preferably hydraulically operated lifting crane, the apparatus being intended to connect a load-carrying and/or a load-gripping par of the machine with the supporting part, and the load-carrying and/or the load-gripping part being able to be rotated and/or be tilted in relation to the supporting part. By SE-patent publication 447.281 is such an apparatus previously known. Futhermore, this apparatus is so designed that the locking of the load-carrying part (dredger ladle) in relation to the lifting crane is made by means of roller-forme means which are intended to be brought into contact against partly a plate 48 which is fastened in that means which carrie the dredger ladle, partly the side plane of a gear wheel 30 which is used for giving the dredger ladle a turning movement. Due to the fact that the contact surface of the roller means against the means 30, 48 becomes very small, the locking of th dredger ladle in relation to the lifting crane can be unsatis- factory during heavy and arduous dredging works. Moreover, the operation of the contact means (roller means) 44, 46 is circum stantial, because this operation is made by means of an essen¬ tially triangular plate which by the effect of an excenter is intended to be brought into engagement with the shaft of roller-formed means. When the triangular plate is into contact with the shaft the plate is blocked by a pin which is intro¬ duced into a hole in the plate. Due to the fact that the known apparatus has the design which has been described above, the overall height of the apparatus becomes relatively large which has the consequence that the apparatus becomes sensitive for the great strains arising during for instance dredging works. This invention intends to eliminate the drawbacks with known technique and offer an apparatus which is so made that the load-carrying and/or the load-gripping part can be locked in an extremely secure way in relation to the lifting crane during dredging works or the like. Moreover, due to its design the apparatus gets a very low overall height, wherefore it becomes relatively unsensitive to the strains arising during heavy working operations. Another essential advantage with a low overall height of an apparatus connecting the supporing part of a machine with a load-carrying and/or a load-gripping part of the machine is that the motion geometry of the last mentioned part is only changed to a minimum. Due to that fact the apparatus according to the invention can remain stationari- ly in the machine. This has been made possible by an apparatus of the kind mentioned by way of introduction which is characterized in that it comprises a wheel which is rotatably arranged in the appara- tus and has a rim-formed part going round the wheel at its peripheral portion, the wheel being intended to be connected with the load-carrying and/or the load-gripping part, that the rim-formed part has a first, essentially plane portion which is intended to slide against a first essentially plane portion of a stationary, plate-like means in the apparatus, and that the apparatus is so made that the wheel can be locked in relation to the plate by means of at least two brake blocks, which are intended to force the wheel and the plate to a frictional en¬ gagement with each other. Due to that fact an extremely secure locking of the rotatable wheel in relation to the stationary plate is obtained. Furthermore, proper journalled surfaces are obtained between the rotatable wheel and the stationary plate, which journalled surfaces eliminate play. The remaining features of the invention and advantages with these ones will be described more closely below in connec¬ tion with the description of a preferred embodiment of the in¬ vention. In that connection reference is made to the drawings, where Fig. 1 shows a side view of the apparatus, having an upper part and a lower part intended to be fastened to a load- carrying and/or a load-gripping part, Fig. 2 shows a section along the line II-II of Fig. 3, fig. 3 shows the apparatus according to Fig. 2 seen from above, Fig. 4 shows the apparatus according to Fig. 2 seen from below and partly cut up, Fig. 5 shows a braking means according to the invention and Fig. 6 shows a section along the line VI-VI of Fig. 5. Referring to Fig. 1 is shown there the new apparatus which is intended to connect a load-carrying and/or a load- gripping part, which for instance can comprise a dredging ladle, with a supporting part which can comprise the lifting crane in a machine. This apparatus compises an upper part 1 intended to be fastened to the lifting crane and a lower part on which the dredging ladle is intended to be fastened. This lower part 2 comprises a quick coupling device and is rotatabl arranged in relation to the upper part 1 and by that the lifting crane. This rotatability of the lower part in relation to the upper part has been made possible by the fact that the part 2 is fastened on the underside of a plate.3 (see Figs. 2, 4) arranged in the upper part 1 and in its turn by means of fo instance screws fastened on the underside of a wheel 4 which i provided with teeth and is driven by means of a driving motor which in this case comprises a hydraulic motor 5. Instead of a hydraulic motor it would be possible to utilize an electric motor. For this purpose is an output shaft from the hydraulic motor provided with a chain wheel 6 which via a chain 7 drives the teeth-provided wheel 4. The upper part 1 of the apparatus is on its underside provided with a protection cover 8 which is tightened against the rotatable plate 3 whereby pollutions shall be prevented to penetrate the inner space of the upper part 1. The wheel 4 is prefarably made of steel and has a rim- formed part 9 at its periphery. The upper side of this part 9 has, as the apparatus is shown in the Figure in direction to the periphery of the wheel, a relatively large and essentially plane, horizontal portion 10, which passes over to an essen¬ tially plane, vertical portion 11, which in its turn passes over to an essentially plane, horizontal portion 12, positione on a higher level than the portion 10. Right out on the wheel 4, radially seen, are the teeth 13 arranged. The underside of the rim-formed part 9 comprises in the direction towards the periphery of the wheel an essentially plane, horizontal portion 10 which passes over to an essential ly plane vertical portion 15 extending down to the upper side of the plate 3 and passes over to an essentially plane, hori- zontal portion 16 which comprises the contact surface of the wheel 4 against the upper side of the plate 3. The inner connection line between the portions 10 and 14 is essentially vertical while the connection line between the portion 14 and the portion 15 extends obliquely downwards. Due to that fact is formed there a transition portion 17 which widens itself in direction towards the periphery of the wheel. The upper side of the rim-formed part 9 of the wheel 4 is intended to slide against a stationary, plate-like means (18A) in the apparatus which means is preferably made of steel and has a centrally arranged hole, whereby a rim-formed part 18B is formed at the peripheral part of the plate 18A. The peripheral part 18B of the plate has such a design that in a smoothly way it can cooperate with the upper side of the rim-formed part 9 of the wheel 4. Thus, the lower peripheral part of the plate 18A, seen in the direction towards the periphery of the plate, has a large, essentially plane, horizontal portion 19 which passes over to an essentially plane, vertical portion 20, which in its turn passes over to an essentially plane, horizontal portion 21 which is positioned on a higher level than the portion 19. Thus, the portions 10, 11 of the wheel 4 are in contact with corresponding portions 19, 20 of the plate 18A. Thus, these portions form journalled surfaces during the rotation of the wheel 4 in relation to the plate 18A. Due to that fact the wheel 4 can slide essentially play-free towards the plate 18 , at the same time as the wheel gets a good control both axially and radially. Furthermore, the peripheral part of the plate 18A has one in relation to the portion 19 above-positioned, essentially plane horizontal portion 22 which in direction towards the periphery of the plate 18A passes over to an essentially plane, vertical portion 23. The inner connection line between the portions 19 and 22 is essentially vertical while the connection line between the portion 22 and the portion 23 extends oblique- ly upwards. Due to that fact is formed there a transition por¬ tion 24 which widens itself in direction towards the periphery of the plate 18A. Thus, the portions 10, 12, 14, 16 of the wheel 4 and the portions 19, 21, 22 of the plate 18A are directed essentially radially, while the portions 11, 15 of the wheel 4 and the por¬ tions 20, 23 of the plate 18A are directed essentially axially. The distance between the portions 19 and 22 of the plate 18A is essentially the same as the distance between the por¬ tions 10 and 14 of the wheel 4. This fact facilitates the locking of these two means to each other. Due to the design of the wheel and the plate hereby described with essentially horizontal portions 10, 14 and 19, 22, respectively, there are formed projections 25, 26 in the wheel and the plate which are directed inwards and essentially towards the centres of these ones and have an extension going round respective means 4, 18A The projections 25, 26 preferably comprise an integral part of the wheel 4 and the plate 18A, respectively. In certain positions, for instance when dredging, when the apparatus is exposed to great strains the wheel 4 has to b locked in relation to the plate 18. This locking is made by means of two brake blocks 27, 28 which essentially have the form of a half-circle and which are arranged radially inside the rim-formed part 9; 18B of the wheel 4 and the plate 18A an are preferably made of steel. These brake blocks 27, 28 are intended to rest against each outside of the inwards-directed projections 25, 26 of the wheel 4 and the plate 18A. The locking of the wheel 4 against the plate 18A is made by means of two preferably hydraulically influenced plunger means of which only one 29 is shown in Fig. 4, which plunger means are intended to force the two brake blocks 27, 28 radially out¬ wards. The plunger means 29 are provided with spring means whic during normal rotation of the wheel 4 is intended to be com- pressed by the hydraulic pressure but which is intended to force the plunger out of the plunger means and by that the brake blocks 27, 28 when the hydraulic pressure is eliminated, whereby an unintentional rotation of the wheel 4 is prevented. When dredging for instance when the wheel shall be locke in relation to the plate 18a the plunger of the plunger means and by that the brake blocks are influenced not only by the spring force of the spring means but also of the force from th hydraulic system of the machine. Of course it would be possibl to utilize a pneumatic system instead of a hydraulic system when operating the plunger means. In order to be able to surround the projections 25, 26 the brake blocks 27, 28 have a recess 30 along its whole peri¬ phery. This recess has a width which somewhat exceeds the entire thickness of the projections 25, 26. The two radial re- striction portions 31, 32 of the recess are bevelled at their very front part. The reason why is that these bevellings shall cooperate with the transition portions 17, 24 which widen them¬ selves in the direction towards the periphery of the wheel 4 and the plate 18A, respectively. When the brake block 27, 28 are forced outwards in the directions R2, R2 the wheel 4 and the plate 18A are forced against each other. This compression is strenghtened by the fact that the bevelled portions 31, 32 of the brake blocks cooperate with the enlarged portions 17, 24 of the wheel 4 and the plate 18A. Due to that fact there arises a conical contact between the brake blocks 27, 28 on one hand and the wheel 4 and the plate 18A on the other hand so that when brake blocks are displaced radially outwards there arises an extremely secure locking of the wheel 4 in relation to the plate 18 . This has the consequence that the new apparatus be¬ comes extremely durable and resistent to the braking forces and braking moments which arise during dredging and other hard working moments. This advantage is accentuated by the fact that the apparatus ^ according to the invention has an extremely low overall height. This has been achieved by the fact that the two means cooperating during locking, i.e. the plate 18A and the wheel 4 have a relatively small thickness. In a non-activated position the brake blocks 27, 28 function as a journalled sur¬ face for the projection 25 of the wheel 4. Due to that fact the journalling of the wheel 4 is further improved at the same time as the risk of play is reduced. According to the preferred embodiment the number of brake blocks is two. Of course the number of brake blocks can be three or more. Besides to be used for locking the wheel 4 in relation to the plate 18A the braking apparatus according to the invention can also be used for braking up a turning move¬ ment of the load-carrying and/or the load-gripping part in re¬ lation to the supporting part. The new apparatus can further comprise two hydraulic cylinders of which only one 33 is shown in Fig. 1. By means of these ones a dredging ladle or some other load-carrying and/or load-gripping means can be given a tilting movement. In that connection the tilting of the load-carrying and/or the load- gripping part plus the parts 1, 2 (see Fig. 1) is made in re- lation to the supporting part. The invention is of course not limited to the described embodiment but can be modified within the scope of the follow¬ ing claims. Thus, for instance the load-carrying and/or the load-gripping means does not need to be connected to the lower part 2 of the apparatus (see Fig. 1) but can of course be con¬ nected directly to the plate 3 at the underside of the upper part 1. Furthermore, it has been mentioned that parts of the apparatus are made preferably of steel. This steel material ought to be treated in such a way that material brake is pre¬ vented. Of course it is possible to manufacture the parts of another metallic material. The invention idea can also be utilized in a simpler version of a machine which has no hydraulic motor for driving the wheel 4. In this case the turning of the load-carrying means, for instance a dredging ladle, in relation to the supporting part, i.e. the crane arm in for instance a dredging machine, is made by putting down the dredging ladle into the ground and by changing the position of the crane arm in rela- tion to the dredging ladle. The new invention can of course be very useful in many areas, for instance as has been mentioned previously in dredg¬ ing machines. With a dredging machine provided with the appara tus according to the invention it is possible to bring the dredging ladle of the machine in any direction which of course facilitates the dredging essentially.

Claims: Claims 1. Apparatus in machines provided with a supporting part in the form of a preferably hydraulically operated lifting crane, the apparatus being intended to connect a load-carrying and/or a load-gripping part of the machine with the supporting part, the load-carrying and/or the load-gripping part being ~ able to be rotated and/or tilted in relation to the supporting part, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that it comprises a wheel (4) which is rotatably arranged in the apparatus and has a rim- formed part (9) at its peripheral part which extends round the wheel, the wheel being intended to be connected with the load- carrying and/or the load-gripping part, that the rim-formed part (9) has a first essentially plane portion (10) which is intended to slide against a first essentially plane portion (19) which is arranged on a stationary, plate-like means (18A) in the apparatus, and that the apparatus is so made that the wheel (4) can be locked in relation to the plate (18A) by means of at least two brake blocks (27, 28) which are intended to force the wheel (4) and the plate (18A) to a frictional engage- ent with each other. 2. Apparatus according to claim 1, also the plate (18A) having a rim-formed part (18B) at its peripheral part, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the plane portion (10) of the wheel (4) is arranged on a projection (25) which projects from the rim-formed part (9) of the wheel and is directed essentially inwards towards the centre of the wheel (4) , that the plane portion (19) of the plate (18A) is arranged on an¬ other projection (26) which projects from the rim-formed part (18B) of the plate and is directed essentially inwards towards the centre of the plate (18A) and that the brake blocks (27, 28) are so designed that they can be put against the projec¬ tions (25, 26) on each outside of these ones and force the projections to a frictional engagement with each other. 3. Apparatus according to claim 2, c h a r a c t e r - i z e d in that the brake blocks (27, 28) are arranged radial ly inside the rim-formed parts (9; 18B) of the wheel (4) and the plate (18A) and are intended to be forced radially outward by means of plunger means (29) which are preferably hydrauli¬ cally operated for compression of the projections (25, 26) . 4. Apparatus according to claim 3, c h a r a c t e r ¬ i z e d in that the brake blocks (27, 28) are essentially half-circular formed and have a recess (30) along its peri¬ phery, which recess has a width which somewhat exceeds the entire thickness of the projections (25, 26) and that the two radial restriction portions (31, 32) of the recess (30) are bevelled at their very front part for cooperation with transi¬ tion portions (17, 24) of the wheel (4) and the plate (18A) , which transition portions widen themselves in the direction towards the periphery of the wheel (4) and the plate (18A) , respectively, whereby there arises a conical engagement betwee the brake blocks and the projections which improves the lockin of the wheel (4) in relation to the plate (18A) . 5. Apparatus according to any one of the claims 2-4, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the wheel (4) has a second essentially plane portion (11) which is intended to slide against a second essentially plane portion (20) of the plate (18A) , and that the second portion (11) of the wheel (4) and the second portion (20) of the plate (18A) extends essentially perpendicularly to the first portion (10) of the wheel (4) and the first portion (19) of the plate (18A) , respectively. 6. Apparatus according to claim 5, c h a r a c t e r ¬ i z e d in that the first essentially plane portion (10) of the wheel (4) and the first essentially plane portion (19) of the plate (18A) is an integral part of the projection (25, 26) of the wheel (4) and the plate (18A) , respectively, which pro¬ jections are directed essentially inwards towards the centres of these ones and has an extension in respective means (4, 18) go-ing round the means, the first portion being positioned on the upper side of the wheel projection (25) while the portion (19) is positioned on the underside of the plate projection (26). 7. Apparatus according to claims 6, c h a r a c t e r ¬ i z e d in that the wheel projection (25) has a third essen- tially plane portion (14) on its underside which portion is essentially parallel with the first portion (10) , that the plate projection (26) has a third essentially plane portion (22) on its upper side which portion is essentially parallel with the first portion (19) and that the distance between the portions (10, 14) of the wheel projection (25) is essentially the same as the distance between the portions (19, 22) of the plate projection (26) . 8. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the wheel (4) is provided with teeth and is intended to be driven by means of a driving.motor (5) which preferably is hydraulically operated and transmits the force to the wheel (4) via a chain wheel (6) and a chain (7) . 9. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that it comprises two hydraulically operated plunger cylinders (33) positioned on each side of the upper part of the apparatus and intended to give the load-carrying and/or the load-gripping part a tilting motion in relation to the supporting part. 10. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the wheel (4) , the plate (18) and the brake blocks (27, 28) are made of steel.

Inventors: BERGSTRAND TOMAS, JONSSON ANDERS, JONSSON HANS, BERGSTRAND, TOMAS, JONSSON, ANDERS, JONSSON, HANS
Applicants: INDEXATOR AB
Application year: 1990
Main classification: B66C13
IPC codes: E02F3