ASSEMBLY FOR FORMATION OF A PROFILE ON AN AGGEGRATE Related Application

The benefit of priority is claimed from Australian Patent Application No. 2015905256, the contents of which are incorporated by reference.

Field

The invention relates to the formation of a profile on an aggregate load particularly but not exclusively a load of coal carried by a rail wagon.

Background

An aggregate such as coal is loaded into a rail wagon from a feed chute as the wagon passes beneath the chute. The coal flows into the wagon and accumulates in a mound that then tapers up to a central peak. When the wagon is transported from the loading terminal to a port, coal dust is lifted off the peak which creates an environmental problem.

Object

The present invention seeks to reduce the problem of coal dust by applying a profile to the top of the aggregate.

Summary of the Invention

In accordance with the invention, there is provided an assembly for profiling an aggregate in an open top carriage, the assembly having a working head with a profiling unit that passes through the carriage at a pre-determined height and pushes the aggregate toward a preferred profile.

In one embodiment, the profiling unit includes a roller drum with a cylindrical centre section and flared end sections. In one embodiment, the profiling unit includes a gauge that registers with the carriage and holds the profiling unit at the pre-determined height. In one embodiment, the gauge is a gauge wheel adapted to roll along a gunnel of the carriage. In one embodiment, the gauge wheel is mounted on an axle of the roller drum.

In one embodiment, the assembly includes a scraper for clearing aggregate off the gunnel in advance of the gauge wheel. In one embodiment, the roller drum is supported in bearings of the working head to extend laterally between opposed gunnels of the carriage and scrapers are provided at either end of the working head, on a forward side of the profiling unit.

In one embodiment, the assembly includes a blade positioned upstream of the profiling unit, to level the aggregate prior to being rolled by the profiling unit.

In one embodiment, the assembly includes a cleaning element to remove aggregate from the drum. In one embodiment, the element extends the length of the roller and is mounted to the working head, at a rear side of the profiling unit.

In one embodiment, the assembly includes a system for spraying the aggregate with water for dust suppression.

In one embodiment, the system includes spray manifolds that extend lengthwise of the working head.

In one embodiment, the manifolds are coupled to spray nozzles that are arranged along a front and rear of the working head. In one embodiment, the manifolds are mounted to the working head.

In one embodiment, the assembly includes a gantry and the working head is mounted to a frame that moves the working head down into the carriage for a profiling operation and lifts the working head up to clear an end of the carriage.

In one embodiment, the assembly further includes spay jets on the gantry to spray an exterior of the carriage in order to remove any aggregate dust or debris. Brief Description of the Drawings

The invention is described, by way of non-limiting example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of an assembly;

Figure 2 is a side view of the assembly; Figure 3 is an end view of the assembly; Figure 4 is a side view of a working head of the assembly; Figure 5 is a perspective view of the working head;

Figure 6 is a partial section view of a bearing and gauge of a profiling unit;

Figure 7 is a perspective view of an end of the working head; Figure 8 is an end view of the assembly; and Figure 9 is a perspective view of a portion of a blade of the assembly. Detailed Description

Figure 1 shows an assembly 1 that includes a gantry 2 with side posts 3 that are bolted to engineered concrete footings 4 to support a platform 5 over a rail track 6. The spacing of the posts 3 and the height of the platform 5 allow a rail carriage 7 to pass under the platform 5. A stair 8 provides access to the platform 5.

The carriage 7 includes a wheeled chassis 9 to carry the carriage 7 along the track 6. The chassis 9 supports a bin 10 that has raised walls 11 with lengthwise extending gunnels 12. The bin 10 is designed to carry an aggregate load (not shown) such as coal. The bin 10 has a forward end 13 and a rear end 14.

The gantry 2 includes a frame 15 that supports a working head 16 that is raised and lowered into the bin 10 as the carriage 7 passes beneath the platform 5 to form the top of the aggregate load into a preferred profile.

Figure 2 shows the frame 15 and working head 16 in a raised position. The lowered position of the working head 16 is shown in dashed lines.

Figure 3 shows a series of high pressure jets 17 that are arranged on the post 3 of the gantry 2. The jets 17 allow high pressure water to be sprayed onto an exterior 18 of the carriage 7 in order to clean the carriage 7 of coal dust and the like as the carriage 7 rolls past the gantry 2. A similar series of jets are provided on the other side of the gantry 2.

Figure 4 shows the working head 16 as including a profiling unit 19 coupled to a beam 20. The profiling unit 19 has a roller drum 21 mounted on an axle 22. A cleaning element 23 is fixed to an attachment 24 at a rear side 25 of the unit 19, to scrape the roller drum clean 21 of aggregate as the roller drum 21 rotated.

A blade 26 is mounted at a front side 27 of the unit 19. A scraper 28 is bolted to the blade 26 to push aggregate off the gunnel 12 and into the bin 10.

Figure 5 shows the roller drum 21 extends across the width of the carriage 7 and includes a cylindrical centre section 29 and flared end sections 30.

The blade 26 is shown bolted to the working head 16 upstream of the unit 19. The blade 26 is provided with scrapers 28 at either end so that debris is cleared from both gunnels 12 in advance of a gauge 31 which is provided either end 32 of the roller drum 21 in the form of gauge wheels 33.

The cleaning element 23 extends the length of the roller drum 21 and is shaped to match the configuration of the centre section 29 and flared end sections 30 of the drum 21.

Figure 5 also clearly illustrates a spray system 34 which includes manifolds 35 that connect to an array of spray nozzles 36 at a front 37 and rear 38 of the working head 16.

Figure 6 shows the positioning of one of the gauge wheels 33 and gunnels 12. The gauge wheel 33 is mounted on the axle 22 of the roller drum 21, inboard of a bearing 39 that supports the axle 22 in the working head 16. The engagement of the gauge wheel 33 with the gunnel 12 provides a datum or stop which sets the correct level of the unit 19 relative to the bin 10. Figure 7 shows the working head 16 in a position where the gauge wheel 33 is in engagement with the gunnel 12 such that the flared end section 30 is below the level of the gunnel 12.

Figure 8 illustrates the working head 16 in a lowered position, prior to a profiling operation. To produce a preferred profile across the top of an aggregate with the carriage 7, the working head 16 is lowered to a position shown in dashed lines, where the gauge wheels 33 engage the gunnels 12 and the roller drum 21 enters the bin 10 to a predetermine level or height set by the gauge wheels 33. Figure 9 shows the position of the blade 26 when the working head 16 is lowered into the bin 10. The scrapers 28 are flush with the gunnels 12 and angled to deflect aggregate and debris into the bin 10 as the carriage 7 moves under the blade 26. The blade 26 will move through any aggregate above the level of the blade 26 and push the aggregate forward and sideward to spill into empty space within the bin 10, closer to the walls 11. The profiling unit 19 then rolls across the top of the aggregate to conform the aggregate to the shape of the roller drum 21.

The profile of the illustrated roller drum 21, as described above, is ideal for forming the aggregate into a "garden bed" profile, which has been found to have the least tendency for releasing dust.

As the aggregate is profiled, the spray system 34 sprays water on the aggregate to further suppress generation of dust, while the jets 17 clean the outside of the carriage 7.

It is envisaged that the water from the jets 17 may be at 2,000 psi and that the spray system 34 may be at 72 psi. The spray system 34 and jets 17 are only activated when the working head 16 is lowered into the profiling position, to save water and flooding of the aggregate. The hold down pressure on the working head 16 may be subject to a release of 50 kg of force when the gauge wheels engage the gunnels. The carriage 7 may move though the gantry 2 at about 1 to 2 km/hr and the working head 16 is designed to automatically raise and lower as the ends 13, 14 of the carriage 7 pass underneath the platform 5, with a fail safe raised position.

Although a roller drum has been described as a preferred embodiment of the profiling unit, it should be appreciated the roller drum may instead be replaced by any other suitable structure suitable for forming the required profile in the aggregate.

Also, it should be appreciated the invention has been described by reference to use with aggregate such as coal however the invention also has application to other types of aggregate or flowable material such as grain, iron ore, road base and the like. Lastly, the carriage need not be a rail carriage and may instead by any other form of transport vehicle such as a truck.

List of Parts

1. Assembly

2. Gantry

3. Post

4. Footing

5. Platform

6. Track

7. Carriage

8. Stair

9. Chassis

10. Bin

11. Walls

12. Gunnel

13. End

14. End

15. Frame

16. Working head

17. Jets

18. Exterior

19. Profiling unit

20. Beam

21. Roller drum

22. Axle

23. Cleaning element

24. Attachment

25. Rear side

26. Blade

27. Front side

28. Scraper

29. Centre section 30. End section

31. Gauge

32. End

33. Gauge wheel

34. Spray system

35. Manifold

36. Nozzle

37. Front

38. Rear

39. Bearing