FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention concerns a tipping receptacle for load reception on a load carrying vehicle having a vertical

direction, a forward direction, a rearward direction and two sideward directions, wherein the receptacle is tippable rearward through a swinging movement. A front portion of the receptacle is swingable in respect of a main portion of the receptacle between a forward swung transport position and a rearward swung tipping position. The invention also relates to a load carrying vehicle including such a receptacle as well as a method for dumping. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Load carrying tipping vehicles for use underground in mines are utilized to transport disintegrated material from excavation sites in the mine to unloading stations. Dumping of material received in the receptacle is accomplished by

swinging the receptacle around a pivot placed at a rear bottom portion of the receptacle and by raising the front portion of the receptacle.

Such load carrying vehicles are used also for return transport of material, resulting from excavation of drifts, shafts, mountain rooms and tunnels, that is not to be

subjected to extraction of metals etc. Return transported material is subsequently used for refilling drifts, tunnels and mountain rooms .

As examples of previously known load carrying vehicles can be mentioned underground trucks marketed under the name

"Atlas Copco Minetruck MT" and having designations such as 2010, 42, 5020, 6020 etc.

SU 1071477 Al describes a load carrying vehicle having a divided receptacle, wherein a main portion swings up from a transport position to a first stop defining a tipping position. Only thereafter a front portion swings up in respect of the main portion to a second stop where the bottom of the front portion is in line with the bottom of the main portion of the receptacle.

AIM AND MOST IMPORTANT FEATURES OF THE INVENTION

It is an aim of the present invention to further develop devices of the above mentioned kind in respect of previously known load carrying tipping vehicles for greater flexibility and for achieving better economy during use of such load carrying vehicles.

This aim is obtained in a device, a load carrying vehicle and a method for dumping according to the above through the features characterizing the invention.

By the receptacle being arranged for swinging of the front portion around the swing pivot at least partly

simultaneously as swinging of the receptacle around the tipping pivot for reducing the dimensions of the receptacle in the vertical direction in said tipping position is achieved that the dimensions of the receptacle in said vertical

direction does not increase corresponding to swinging around the tipping pivot as would have been the case in respect of a conventional receptacle. Instead they are reduced in rearward swung position.

By the at least partial simultaneous swing movements is achieved that the dimensions in vertical direction are

reducible also during the dumping sequence, which means also during swing positions of the receptacle when it has still not reached the final tipping position.

It should be noted that "rearward swung tipping position" is intended to mean also tipping positions that are not a "maximum rearward swung tipping position" or a "final tipping position" . In practice dumping (or tipping) of the receptacle is often performed or completed before a "maximum rearward swung tipping position" has been reached, of course depending on the geometry of the receptacle, tipping angles and also of the properties of the material intended for dumping.

Normally the front portion swings around the swing pivot during part of the period when the receptacle swings around the tipping pivot.

Within the scope of the invention are also such dumping sequences when the receptacle swings intermittently, i. e. rearward swinging is performed in a plurality of steps, not continuously, around the tipping pivot, and when the front portion swings, likewise not continuously, during periods when the receptacle is or is not swinging around the tipping pivot. The latter variant is, however, not preferred since i.a. it tends to lead to slower dumping.

It is achieved that load carrying vehicles according to the invention having a load capacity corresponding the one for preciously known, more space demanding load carrying vehicles, can be used in drifts, tunnels and other spaces having lower height. Hereby the capacity utilization can be increased in mines having existing tunnels with certain given dimensions, which results in enhanced economy for these mines.

Reversely it can be said that drifts and tunnels as well as tipping stations can be produced with smaller dimensions when load carrying vehicles according to the invention are used compared to required dimension when using background art load carrying vehicles having the corresponding capacity. This is a considerable advantage, since hereby load carrying vehicles having higher capacity can be used in more narrow drifts and tunnels as well as in more narrow tipping stations. Altogether this results in enhanced economy of the mine since requirements of amounts of material that has to be extracted for transport paths etc. including rock drilling, blasting, transport etc can be reduced when tunnels having smaller dimensions can be used.

A forward direction of the vehicle here means a direction forwardly of the vehicle when it is driven straight forward. That the receptacle is tipping in a plane in parallel to a vertical direction of the load carrying vehicle, of course means that the receptacle is tippable also when the load carrying vehicle is turning and possibly also somewhat

articulated in the forward direction irrespective of if it is a waist-steered, front wheel steered or in any other way steered vehicle.

Preferably the front portion also includes portions of the side walls being adjacent to the front wall or a part thereof that are rigidly attached to the front wall or the part thereof. Hereby an easy used unit is provided which can be manoeuvred between its positions.

In one embodiment, wherein the front portion includes the entire front wall, it also includes a part of the bottom of the receptacle being closest to the front wall and of course side wall portions. Through this opportunity of manoeuvring a bottom portion, dumping of material positioned in the forward part of the receptacle can be enhanced. Advantageous tipping angles are achieved at unchanged roof height.

When said portions of the side walls are arranged

displaced sideways in respect of remaining parts of the side walls, unrestricted rearward swinging of these portions is allowed.

Said portions of the side walls are preferably

arranged sealingly in respect of the remaining parts of the side walls in order to prevent escape of material that could fall down and damage underlying parts of the load carrying vehicle.

Suitably the front portion is swing drivable with the aid of any swing actuation means from the group: fluid rotation actuator, electrically driven rotational actuators, link means being driven by a tipping movement, flexible tensile force transmitting means being driven by a tipping movement,

gravitation force influence.

- Using fluid cylinders as forcing means for swinging is most easily accomplished by having a cylinder on each side of the receptacle acting between a fastening point on the main portion of the receptacle and a fastening point on the front portion .

- Using fluid driven rotation actuators or electrically driven rotational actuators as forcing means for swinging is most easily arranged by said rotation actuators being

positioned in sideward regions of the receptacle and having rotation axes coinciding with the axis of the swing pivot of the front portion.

- Using link means driven through a tipping movement as power means for swinging is suitably arranged by having link systems being positioned on either side of the receptacle in order to control a movement of the receptacle in respect of a frame of the load carrying vehicle in a manner which is per se what can be expected of the person skilled in the art.

- Using flexible tensile force or compressive force transferring means can be arranged by tension or pressing means with a per se known mechanism be given a respective linear movement through the relative movement between the receptacle and the vehicle frame. - Using gravitation force effect for swinging is most easily arranged in that the front portion, also with received load, is made overheavy such that it tips reward by itself when the receptacle has reached a certain inclination. It is, however, not excluded that the front portion is made normally heavy without added weights.

Activation of said swing actuation means is preferably arranged to be co-ordinated with the activation of tipping actuation means being arranged for tipping the receptacle in order to have an overlap of the effect of these actuation means on the front portion and on the main portion of the receptacle .

Preferably the swing pivot is formed by at least two pivot pins arranged side by side in co-operation with bearing bushings.

Suitably said portions of side walls have a shape from the group: essentially triangular shape, essentially trapezoid shape .

According to a variant of the invention the receptacle includes a swingable rear flap or a so called tail gate, which can be automatically manoeuvrable by a per se previously known link system such that it opens during tipping. Other tail gate manoeuvring variants are also possible.

The invention also concerns a load carrying vehicle including a receptacle according to any one of the previously claims. In particular, the inventive load carrying vehicle includes means for co-ordinating activation of swing actuation means for swinging the front portion with the activation of tipping actuation means for tipping the receptacle.

Further, the invention concerns a method for dumping with a load carrying vehicle wherein a front portion of the

receptacle, said front portion including the front wall or a part thereof, is swung in respect of a main portion of the receptacle around a swing pivot, being located at a region of the front portion, between a forward swung transport position, with the front portion swung in the forward direction and a rearward swung tipping position, with the front portion swung in the rearward direction whereby the dimensions of the receptacle in the vertical direction is reduced by swinging the front portion rearwards towards said tipping position.

Hereby advantages are obtained corresponding to the advantages described above in respect of the inventive receptacle.

Suitably, hereby, the front portion is swung as a unit including the front wall or part thereof together with

adjacent portions of the side walls that are fixedly connected to the front wall or the part thereof.

When the front portion including the entire front wall is swung, according to a variant, also a part of the bottom of the receptacle being closest to the front wall is swung as part of the front portion.

Suitably said portions of the side walls are swung displaced sideways in respect of remaining parts of the side walls in order to allow unrestricted rearward swinging.

Preferably the front portion is swung with the aid of any means from the group: fluid cylinders, fluid rotation

actuators, electrically driven rotational actuators, link means or flexible tensile force transmitting means being driven by a tipping movement, gravitation force influence.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The invention will now be described in greater detail by way of embodiments with reference to the annexed drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 shows in a side view a load carrying vehicle according to the invention, Fig. la shows the load carrying vehicle according to Fig.

1 with the receptacle in different positions during a dumping sequence in a space that is limited in the vertical direction,

Fig. 2 shows another load carrying vehicle with the front portion of the vehicle in a rearward swung position,

Fig. 2a shows the load carrying vehicle according to Fig.

2 with the receptacle in different positions during a dumping sequence in a space which is limited in the vertical

direction,

Fig. 3 shows a further embodiment of a load carrying vehicle according to the invention,

Fig. 3a shows the load carrying vehicle according to Fig.

3 with the receptacle in different positions during a dumping sequence in a space which is limited in the vertical

direction,

Fig. 4 diagrammatically illustrates an inventive method sequence, and

Figs. 5a - 5i illustrate different principles of

manoeuvring the front portion of the receptacle.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Fig. 1 illustrates a load carrying vehicle 1 including a front part 2 and a rear part 3, which are joined over an intermediate steering joint 4 in order to allow waist steering of the load carrying vehicle 1. The load carrying vehicle 1 has a vertical direction H, a forward direction R and a

rearward direction B.

A load receiving receptacle 5 is arranged on the rear part 3, said receptacle including a bottom 7, two sidewalls 8 (one shown) and a front wall 9. The receptacle 5 can be tipped rearward in a plane being parallel to said vertical direction H by the aid of a tipping pivot being indicated with reference numeral 6, between a transport position indicated with reference numeral 5' and a tipping position shown with

interrupted lines and being indicated with reference numeral 5". With thinner interrupted lines is in Fig. 1 shown the front portion as it would have been positioned if it had not been swung down to said tipping position. From this

illustration is easily understood the advantages obtained with the invention being smaller dimensions in the vertical direction H in all critical swing positions of the receptacle for a vehicle equipped according to the invention.

The load receiving receptacle 5 includes a front portion

10 which swings in respect of a main portion 11 of the receptacle over a swing pivot 12 between the position shown in Fig. 1, wherein the front portion 10 is swung maximum forward (in the Figure in a clockwise direction) in order to offer maximum load reception capability of the receptacle and a rearward swung position (on the Figure in an anticlockwise direction) as will be explained below. With "rearward swung position" of the front portion is in principle intended

"rearward" of the receptacle as seen in its transport position 5' . This does not necessarily mean that the front portion is swung in a "rearward" direction as seen when the receptacle is in its tipping position 5" . As seen in the tipping position, instead the front portion is rather essentially swung

"downwards" exactly to reduce the dimension in the vertical direction in the dumping situation of the load carrying vehicle .

In the embodiment in Fig. 1, the front portion includes the entire front wall 9 and essentially triangular portions of the side walls of the receptacle 5, whereof in Fig. 1 is shown an adjacent portion of a side wall being indicated with reference numeral 14. This adjacent portion of a side wall 14 is limited rewards by an edge indicated with 13. In order to allow swinging of the front portion 10 in respect of the main portion 11, the adjacent portions 14 of the side walls are somewhat displaced sideways in respect of the remaining parts of the side walls on the main portion 11 in order to allow unrestricted rearward swing of the front portion 10. In the embodiment shown in Fig. 1 (and the one in Fig. 2) the adjacent portions 14 of the side walls are

displaced sideways outwardly in respect of remaining parts of the side walls belonging to the main portion 11, wherein said portions 14 have a certain overlap over remaining parts of the side walls. Also a variant having the side walls displaced sideways inwardly (indicated in Fig. 5i) in respect of the remaining parts of the side walls is possible.

Tipping actuation means (not shown) are further arranged for swinging the receptacle 5 around the tipping pivot 6.

These are for example in the form of per se known hydraulic cylinders positioned between the receptacle 5 and a load carrying vehicle body.

Further, there are arranged swing actuation means being included in an arrangement for swinging the front portion in respect of the main portion 11 of the receptacle 5. See the below description related to Figs. 5a - 5i concerning how these swing actuation means can be constructed.

According to the invention it is arranged to co-ordinate the tipping actuation means with the swing actuation means such that swinging of the front portion around the swing pivot 12 and swinging of the receptacle 5 around the tipping pivot 6 is with an overlap, this means simultaneously or partly simultaneously. This can be arranged to be for example

automatically through mechanical connection between the swing movements (see below) or through the arrangement of a control circuit (not shown) which controls actuation of the swing actuation means in response to sensed or initiated activation of the tipping actuation means. Hereby this control circuit is suitably arranged to initiate an actuation pattern for the swing actuation means in respect of a sensed, intended or initiated activation of the tipping actuation means such that the intended swing overlap (of the front portion vis-a-vis the main portion and of the receptacle vis-a-vis the body of the load carrying vehicle) is obtained. This way the dimensions in the vertical direction are held as low as possible during the part of the dumping sequence when the front portion comprises the uppermost part of the receptacle, being located, as seen in the vertical direction, in the region of a highest point of the receptacle in a tipping position with the front portion is swung to a swing end position.

Fig. la shows the load carrying vehicle 1 according to Fig. 1 with the receptacle 5 in different positions during a dumping sequence in a space being limited in the vertical direction in the form of tunnel or the like having a roof T. 50 indicates an intermediate position between the transport position 5' and the tipping position 5". In this intermediate position 50, the front portion has already been swung to a certain extent in respect of the main portion 11 around the swing pivot 12. The reason for this is to avoid that the dimensions in the vertical direction of the receptacle 5 increases in correspondence to swing around the tipping pivot and instead will be reduced during the entire dumping

sequence. This requires that swinging of the front portion around the swing pivot 12 and swinging of the receptacle 5 around the tipping pivot 6 occur with an overlap, i.e.

simultaneously or at least partly simultaneously. Hereby is achieved that in this intermediate position 50, as well as of course in other intermediate positions between the transport position 5' and the tipping position 5", the front portion has been swung in respect of the main portion 11 around the swing pivot 12 such that an uppermost region of the front portion 10 (here an edge portion uppermost on the Figure) as a result of this swing will be at a lower level in the vertical direction, than such an uppermost region of the front portion 10

otherwise would have been.

In Fig. 2 is shown with interrupted lines the receptacle in the transport position 5' with the front portion in

forwardly swung position for allowing maximum loading

capacity. Further, in Fig. 2 is shown with uninterrupted lines the receptacle in the tipping position 5" and with the front portion 10 swung to a rearward swung position around the swing pivot 12 such that said adjacent portions 14 (one shown in Fig. 2) have been located in a position outside the remaining parts of the side walls belonging to the main portion 11. With interrupted lines in the tipping position 5" is indicated an imagined position of the front portion as it would have been extended in the vertical position with a front portion not being swung or swingable.

Said adjacent portions are arranged to make it tight between them and the remaining parts of the receptacle so that escape of material is prevented as much as possible. This can be achieved by for example the edges lying close to each other, possibly with the aid of scrapers on the front edge of the remaining part of the receptacle lying against inner surfaces of said adjacent portions.

In Fig. 2 there are placed double arrows "A" and "a" illustrating that swing rearwards of the front portions results in a considerable reduction of the dimensions in the vertical direction of the receptacle in the tipping position, viz. to the height "a" as compared to the height "A" that would have been required with corresponding receptacle

capacity and without the front portion swinging rearward. The consequence of this reduction of the dimension in the vertical direction of the load carrying vehicle is that a

correspondingly lower roof height can be accepted in a mine where the load carrying vehicle according to the invention is used.

In Fig. 2, the load carrying vehicle, as a contrast to the situation in Fig. 1, is provided with steering wheels.

Accordingly, different types of load carrying vehicles come into question.

Fig. 2a shows the load carrying vehicle 1 according to Fig. 2 with the receptacle 5 in different positions during a dumping sequence in a space being limited in a vertical direction in the form of a tunnel or the like having a roof T in analogy with Fig. la. In an intermediate position 50, the front portion has already swung to a certain extent in respect of the main portion 11 around the swing pivot 12. The aim of this is, as indicated above, that the dimension in the

vertical direction of the receptacle 5 shall be reduced during the entire dumping sequence, wherein swinging of the front portion around the swing pivot 12 and swinging of the

receptacle around the tipping pivot 6 occur with overlap, i.e. simultaneously or at least party simultaneously. Hereby is in this case obtained that an uppermost portion of the front portion 10 (also here an uppermost located edge portion in the Figure) as a result of this swing will be located at a lower level in the vertical direction than such an uppermost region of the front portion 10 otherwise would have been.

In Fig. 3 is shown a rear part of a load carrying vehicle which differs from the one shown in Figs. 1 and 2 in that the front portion, which is indicated with 16, is a relatively greater part of the receptacle 15 compared to what is the case in the embodiments in Fig. 1 and 2. In respect of the

receptacle in Fig. 3, the swing pivot 18 is positioned such that the front portion 16, besides including the entire front wall 9, also includes a part 19 of the bottom of the receptacle being located closest to the front wall. A free edge of the part 19 is indicated with 20.

The reduction of the dimension in the vertical direction and thereby the space requirement in the vertical direction in respect of a load carrying vehicle according to Fig. 3 is essentially the same as in respect of the load carrying vehicle in Figs. 1 and 2. By including a part of the bottom of the receptacle into the front portion and to subject it to a swing movement during dumping, however, material to be dumped being in the forward part of the receptacle 15 is influenced with a lifting force such that the dumping process is

enhanced .

During dumping of load received in the receptacle, swinging of a receptacle from the transport position 5' to the tipping position 5" around the tipping pivot 6 occur

simultaneously or partly simultaneously as swinging of the front portion around the swing pivot 18. Suitably the

receptacle is allowed to swing a certain number of degrees before swinging of the front portion is initiated in order to enhance swinging of the latter by material received in the receptacle being easier to influence and redistribute when the receptacle has been brought to form an angle with the

horizontal plane.

It should also be ensured that the front portion is swung rearward before the receptacle has reached its maximum tipping position to the extent that it is achieved that the uppermost parts of the front portion at all times during the dumping movement of the receptacle is in level with or below the height reached by an uppermost portion of any part of the receptacle and the front portion in a maximum rearward swung tipping position with the front portion maximum swung down. Fig. 3a shows the rear part of the load carrying vehicle according to Fig. 3 with the receptacle 15 in different positions during a dumping sequence in a space being limited in vertical direction being in the form of a tunnel or the like having a roof T in an analogy with Figs, la and 2a. In an intermediate position 150, the front portion 16 has already swung to a certain extent in relation to the main portion of the receptacle around the swing pivot 18. The reason for this is, as is explained above, that the dimensions of the

receptacle 15 in the vertical direction shall be reduced during the entire dumping sequence, whereby swinging of the front portion around the swing pivot 18 and swinging of the receptacle around the tipping pivot 6 occur with overlap, i.e. simultaneously or at least partly simultaneously. Hereby also in this case is achieved that an uppermost region of the front portion 16 (also here an uppermost edge portion on the Figure) as a result of this swing will be located at a lower level in vertical direction than such an uppermost region of the front portion 10 otherwise would have been. It can be noted that in this embodiment, in the intermediate position 150, the

uppermost region of the front portion 16 is located at a somewhat higher level than any part of the front portion 16 is in the tipping position 5" . Also this variant is thus included in the invention even if it is preferred that it is in the maximum rearward swung position 5" that any part of the receptacle is located at a highest level, as seen in a

vertical direction of the vehicle.

Fig. 4 illustrates diagrammatically a method sequence for load handling with an embodiment of an inventive load carrying vehicle, wherein:

Position 20 indicates start of the sequence.

Position 21 indicates loading of an inventive load carrying vehicle with material from an excavation site with the load receiving receptacle in its transport position with the front portion in forward swung position and driving of the load carrying vehicle with received load to a dumping site.

Position 22 indicates swinging of the load receiving

receptacle of the load carrying vehicle in the direction of the tipping position.

Position 23 indicates swinging of the front portion of the receptacle from its forward swung position to its rearward swung position (tipping position) partly simultaneously as swinging of the receptacle itself. Consequently, swinging in positions 22 and 23 occur with overlap.

Position 24 indicates swinging back of the receptacle and the front portion to their positions for loading.

Position 35 indicates end of the sequence.

Manoeuvring of the front portions in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 can be by way of gravity or through mechanisms and power means that are not shown in these Figures.

Fig. 5a shows an arrangement for manoeuvring the front portion 10 with a cylinder 26, which can be controlled to swing the front portion in a desired manner around a swing pivot 12 being positioned at a lower part of the front portion

10, and which acts between a fastening point on the receptacle side and a fastening point on the front portion side close to the free edge thereof.

Fig. 5b shows an arrangement for swinging around a swing pivot 12 of the front portion 10 with the help of a cylinder 27, which acts between a fastening point on the bottom side of the receptacle and fastening point on a downwardly protruding arm being connected to the front portion.

Fig. 5c shows an arrangement for swinging around the swing pivot 12 of the front portion 10 with the aid of a link arrangement including a tail gate 30, which automatically moves away during dumping, and which in a per se manner is connected to a manoeuvring arm 28, on a free end of which a fastener for a tension link 31 is arranged such that the tail gate 30 swings in relation to the main portion 11 of the receptacle. The tension link 31 is with its other end fastened to a fastening point on the upper part of the front portion.

Fig. 5d shows an arrangement for swinging the front portion 10 around the swing pivot 12 with the aid of a

pressing force transferring rod or the like, the movement of which in a length direction can be initiated by a tipping movement of the receptacle.

Fig. 5e shows an arrangement for swinging the front portion 10 around a swing pivot 12', which is positioned in a region close to the above mentioned rearward limiting edge 13 being more centrally along said edge 13.

Fig. 5f shows an arrangement for swinging the front portion 10 around a swing pivot 12'', which is positioned in an upper region of said rearward limiting edge 13.

Figs . 5g and 5h show an arrangement for swinging the front portion 10 around a swing pivot 12', which is located in a lower region of the front portion 10, but where the front portion only includes a part of the front wall 9 of the receptacle .

Fig. 5i shows an arrangement for swinging the front portion 10 around the swing pivot 12", which is positioned in an upper region of above mentioned rearward limiting edge 13. The front portion 10 is this case swingable inside the remaining parts of the side walls belonging to the main portion 11.

The variants of the front portions in Figs. 5e - 5i can be swung with any one of the above mentioned means in

different ways that are per se discussed above and are

therefore not described further here. The invention can be modified within a scope of the following claims and it is also within the scope of the invention that adjacent portions of side walls to be brought aside in order to make a height dimension reduction possible during dumping, meaning be brought aside without being connected to the front wall. It can for example be possible that the portion 14 in Fig. 1 can be pivotal around the edge 13, preferably inwardly into the receptacle during dumping.