Movable electric machinery having a trailing cable extending through a hinged sheave bracket assembly

• US 6,530,537 B2
• Filed: 02/07/2001
• Issued: 03/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2001
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Joy Global Underground Mining LLC (Komatsu Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Joy Mm Delaware Incorporated (Mitsui & Company Limited)
• Inventors: Hanlon, Ronald D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Walsh; Donald P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Beauchaine; Mark J.
• Application Number:
  US09/681,165
• Publication Number:
  US 20020104915A1
• Time in Patent Office: 762 Days
• Field of Search: 191/12.2 R,12.2 A,71,80,81 242/390.8,390.9,379,397,397.5,398,403,615.1,615.2,615.3,157 R
• US Class Current: 242/390.8
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/40 Working vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 50/53 in combination with an external power supply, e.g. from overhead contact lines
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 9/00 Electric propulsion with power supply external to the vehicle electric propulsion for monorail vehicles, suspension vehicles or rack railways B60L13/00; in combination with batteries or fuel cells within the vehicle B60L50/53
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2701/34 electric cords or electric power cables
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 75/4402 Guiding arrangements to control paying-out and re-storing of the material guides per se B65H57/00
• CPC Class Codes: B66D 1/38 by means of guides movable relative to drum or barrel
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/70 Energy storage systems for electromobility, e.g. batteries

Abstract

A movable machine including a frame having an end, an electrical motor on the frame, a cable electrically connected to the motor and adapted to be connected to a source of power, and a sheave bracket assembly mounted on the frame end. The sheave bracket assembly includes a mounting plate, two spaced apart sheaves rotatably mounted on the mounting plate, the cable extending between the sheaves, and hinged arms connecting the mounting plate to the frame end for permitting pivotal movement of the mounting plate relative to the frame.

Claims

1. A movable machine including:

a frame having an end, said frame end having a first exterior wall,

an electrical motor on said frame,

a cable electrically connected to said motor and adapted to be connected to a source of power,

a sheave bracket assembly mounted on said frame end, said sheave bracket assembly including;

a mounting plate,

two spaced apart sheaves rotatably mounted on said mounting plate, said cable extending between said sheaves, and

hinged means connecting said mounting plate to said frame end first exterior wall for permitting pivotal movement of said mounting plate relative to said frame.

2. A movable machine in accordance with claim 1 and further including a reel on said frame between said electric motor and said end of said frame, said reel providing storage of said cable, and

a spooling device between said reel and said frame end.

3. A movable machine in accordance with claim 1 wherein said hinged means comprises:

an arm having two ends,

a first pivot mount connecting one arm end to said frame end, and

a second pivot mount connecting the other arm end to said mounting plate.

4. A movable machine in accordance with claim 3 wherein said sheave bracket assembly further includes a second mounting plate parallel to and spaced apart from said first mounting plate, said two spaced apart sheaves also being rotatably mounted on said second mounting plate, and wherein said second pivot mount includes a lower pivot connection to said first mounting plate, and an upper pivot connection to said second mounting plate.

5. A movable machine in accordance with claim 4 wherein said arm includes a first Y-shaped part, said Y-shaped part having a base and two upper Y-shaped pieces, with said base attached to the first pivot mount, and each upper Y piece including a wire rope attached thereto, and attached to a respective one of the second pivot mount upper and lower pivot connections.

6. A movable machine in accordance with claim 5 wherein each upper Y piece includes four wire ropes attached thereto and attached to the respective one of the second pivot mount connections.

7. A movable machine in accordance with claim 3 wherein said hinged means further includes:

a second arm spaced from said first arm and having two ends, another first pivot mount connecting said second arm one end to said frame end, and another second pivot mount connecting the other second arm end to said mounting plate.

8. A movable machine in accordance with claim 7 wherein said sheave bracket assembly further includes a second mounting plate parallel to and spaced apart from said first mounting plate, said two spaced apart sheaves also being rotatably mounted on said second mounting plate, and wherein each of said second pivot mounts includes a lower pivot connection to said first mounting plate, and an upper pivot connection to said second mounting plate.

9. A movable machine in accordance with claim 8 wherein said second arm includes a first Y-shaped part, said Y-shaped part having a base and two upper Y-shaped pieces, with said base attached to the first pivot mount, and each upper Y piece including a wire rope attached thereto and attached to a respective one of the second pivot mount upper and lower pivot connections.

10. A movable machine in accordance with claim 9 wherein each upper Y piece includes four wire ropes attached thereto and attached to the respective one of the second pivot mounts.

11. A movable machine in accordance with claim 1 and further including a first resilient stop attached to the frame end adjacent the first pivot mount and a second resilient stop attached to the frame end adjacent the other side of the first pivot mount.

12. A movable machine in accordance with claim 1 and wherein one of said sheaves has a smaller diameter than the other sheave.

13. A movable machine in accordance with claim 1 wherein said frame end has a notched corner, said notch being formed between said first exterior wall and a second exterior wall extending perpendicular to said first exterior wall, said sheave bracket being located substantially within said notch.

14. A movable machine in accordance with claim 1 wherein said hinged means has a length about the same as the distance between the spaced apart sheaves.

15. A movable machine including:

a frame,

an electrical motor on said frame,

a cable electrically connected to said motor and adapted to be connected to a source of power,

a reel on said frame between said electric motor and one end of said frame, said reel providing storage of said cable,

a spooling device between said reel and said one frame end,

a sheave bracket assembly mounted on said one frame end, said sheave bracket assembly including;

a mounting plate,

two spaced apart sheaves rotatably mounted on said mounting plate, said cable extending between said sheaves, a second mounting plate parallel to and spaced apart from said first mounting plate, said two spaced apart sheaves also being rotatably mounted on said second mounting plate, and hinged means connecting said mounting plates to said frame end for permitting pivotal movement of said mounting plates relative to said frame, said hinged means comprising;

an arm including a first Y-shaped part, said Y-shaped part having a base and two upper Y-shaped pieces, with said base attached to a first pivot mount connecting its base to said frame end, and each upper Y piece including four wire ropes attached thereto and attached to a second pivot mount connecting the four wire ropes to said mounting plates, said second pivot mount including a lower pivot connection to said first mounting plate and to one of said upper Y pieces, and an upper pivot connection to said second mounting plate and to the other of said upper Y pieces,

a second arm also including a first Y-shaped part, said Y-shaped part having a base and two upper Y-shaped pieces, with said base attached to another first pivot mount connecting its base to said frame end, and each upper Y piece including four wire ropes attached thereto and attached to another second pivot mount connecting the four wire ropes to said mounting plates, said another second pivot mount including a lower pivot connection to said first mounting plate and to one of said second arm upper Y pieces, and an upper pivot connection to said second mounting plate and to the other of said second arm upper Y pieces.

16. A movable machine in accordance with claim 15 and further including a first resilient stop attached to the frame end adjacent the first pivot mount and a second resilient stop attached to the frame end adjacent the other side of the first pivot mount.

17. A movable machine in accordance with claim 15 and wherein one of said sheaves has a smaller diameter than the other sheave.

18. A movable machine including:

a frame having an end,

an electrical motor on said frame,

a cable electrically connected to said motor and adapted to be connected to a source of power,

a sheave bracket assembly mounted on said frame end, said sheave bracket assembly including;

a mounting plate,

two spaced apart sheaves rotatably mounted on said mounting plate, said cable extending between said sheaves, and

hinged means connecting said mounting plate to said frame end for permitting pivotal movement of said mounting plate relative to said frame, said hinged means including

an arm having two ends,

a first pivot mount connecting one arm end to said frame end, and

a second pivot mount connecting the other arm end to said mounting plate, and

a second arm spaced from said first arm and having two ends, another first pivot mount connecting said second arm one end to said frame end, and another second pivot mount connecting the other second arm end to said mounting plate.

19. A movable machine in accordance with claim 18 and further including a reel on said frame between said electric motor and said end of said frame, said reel providing storage of said cable, and

a spooling device between said reel and said frame end.

20. A movable machine in accordance with claim 18 wherein said sheave bracket assembly further includes a second mounting plate parallel to and spaced apart from said first mounting plate, said two spaced apart sheaves also being rotatably mounted on said second mounting plate, and wherein said second pivot mount includes a lower pivot connection to said first mounting plate, and an upper pivot connection to said second mounting plate.

21. A movable machine in accordance with claim 20 wherein said arm includes a first Y-shaped part, said Y-shaped part having a base and two upper Y-shaped pieces, with said base attached to the first pivot mount, and each upper Y piece including a wire rope attached thereto, and attached to a respective one of the second pivot mount upper and lower pivot connections.

22. A movable machine in accordance with claim 21 wherein each upper Y piece includes four wire ropes attached thereto and attached to the respective one of the second pivot mount connections.

23. A movable machine in accordance with claim 22 wherein said sheave bracket assembly further includes a second mounting plate parallel to and spaced apart from said first mounting plate, said two spaced apart sheaves also being rotatably mounted on said second mounting plate, and wherein each of said second pivot mounts includes a lower pivot connection to said first mounting plate, and an upper pivot connection to said second mounting plate.

24. A movable machine in accordance with claim 23 wherein said second arm includes a first Y-shaped part, said Y-shaped part having a base and two upper Y-shaped pieces, with said base attached to the first pivot mount, and each upper Y piece including a wire rope attached thereto and attached to a respective one of the second pivot mount upper and lower pivot connections.

25. A movable machine in accordance with claim 24 wherein each upper Y piece includes four wire ropes attached thereto and attached to the respective one of the second pivot mounts.

26. A movable machine in accordance with claim 18 and further including a first resilient stop attached to the frame end adjacent the first pivot mount and a second resilient stop attached to the frame end adjacent the other side of the first pivot mount.

27. A movable machine in accordance with claim 18 and wherein one of said sheaves has a smaller diameter than the other sheave.

28. A movable machine including:

a frame having an end,

an electrical motor on said frame,

a cable electrically connected to said motor and adapted to be connected to a source of power,

a sheave bracket assembly mounted on said frame end, said sheave bracket assembly including;

a mounting plate,

two spaced apart sheaves rotatably mounted on said mounting plate, one of said sheaves having a smaller diameter than the other sheave, and said cable extends between said sheaves, and

hinged means connecting said mounting plate to said frame end for permitting pivotal movement of said mounting plate relative to said frame.

29. A movable machine in accordance with claim 28 and further including a reel on said frame between said electric motor and said end of said frame, said reel providing storage of said cable, and

a spooling device between said reel and said frame end.

30. A movable machine in accordance with claim 28 wherein said hinged means comprises:

an arm having two ends,

a first pivot mount connecting one arm end to said frame end, and

a second pivot mount connecting the other arm end to said mounting plate.

31. A movable machine in accordance with claim 30 wherein said sheave bracket assembly further includes a second mounting plate parallel to and spaced apart from said first mounting plate, said two spaced apart sheaves also being rotatably mounted on said second mounting plater and wherein said second pivot mount includes a lower pivot connection to said first mounting plate, and an upper pivot connection to said second mounting plate.

32. A movable machine in accordance with claim 31 wherein said arm includes a first Y-shaped part, said Y-shaped part having a base and two upper Y-shaped pieces, with said base attached to the first pivot mount, and each upper Y piece including a wire rope attached thereto, and attached to a respective one of the second pivot mount upper and lower pivot connections.

33. A movable machine in accordance with claim 32 wherein each upper Y piece includes four wire ropes attached thereto and attached to the respective one of the second pivot mount connections.

34. A movable machine in accordance with claim 30 wherein said hinged means further includes:

a second arm spaced from said first arm and having two ends, another first pivot mount connecting said second arm one end to said frame end, and another second pivot mount connecting the other second arm end to said mounting plate.

35. A movable machine in accordance with claim 34 wherein said sheave bracket assembly further includes a second mounting plate parallel to and spaced apart from said first mounting plate, said two spaced apart sheaves also being rotatably mounted on said second mounting plate, and wherein each of said second pivot mounts includes a lower pivot connection to said first mounting plate, and an upper pivot connection to said second mounting plate.

36. A movable machine in accordance with claim 35 wherein said second arm includes a first Y-shaped part, said Y-shaped part having a base and two upper Y-shaped pieces, with said base attached to the first pivot mount, and each upper Y piece including a wire rope attached thereto and attached to a respective one of the second pivot mount upper and lower pivot connections.

37. A movable machine in accordance with claim 36 wherein each upper Y piece includes four wire ropes attached thereto and attached to the respective one of the second pivot mounts.

38. A movable machine in accordance with claim 28 and further including a first resilient stop attached to the frame end adjacent the first pivot mount and a second resilient stop attached to the frame end adjacent the other side of the first pivot mount.