TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates generally to connection elements and connectors for use in dragline rigging.

BACKGROUND TO THE DISCLOSURE

Dragline excavators are commonly employed to remove earth, soil or other material in preparation for open cut mining.

In dragline excavators, a bucket capable of scooping soil is actioned from a boom. A dragline rigging supports the bucket from the boom and couples to it to enable its action. The rigging is an assembly of elements and cables by which the bucket is suspended and operated. The dragline rigging is typically an array of linkages between the bucket and the boom. It is beneficial to provide connection elements allowing increased wear of the moving parts and allowing for greater freedom of movement between aspects of the dragline rigging.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Disclosed in a first aspect is a wear member for a

dragline rigging having at least one connecting lug

adapted to engage a connector, the at least one connecting lug having a lug surface which in use is in a facing arrangement with the connector, the wear member configured to be positioned intermediate the at least one connecting lug and the connector and contacting the connector at a bearing surface, the bearing surface having an area

greater than the lug surface .

The wear members allow for a connecting surface area to be sacrificially worn away during movement of a connector with respect to the upper spreader bar. In some forms the increased surface area of the wear members allows

increased wear and reduces the need for maintenance and replacement .

In a second aspect, disclosed is a connector for dragline rigging, the connector allowing greater than 100 degrees freedom of movement in two planes. In some forms the connector allows greater than 5 degree freedom of movement in a third plane. In some forms the connector allows 5 degree freedom of movement axially along the length of the link. In some forms the connector comprises two

throughholes oriented substantially perpendicularly to one another.

The connector allows for increased lateral movement of the dump pulleys with respect to the upper spreader bar which increases the freedom of movement within the dragline rigging.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A preferred embodiment will now be described by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a dragline rigging of one embodiment of the disclosure;

Fig. 2 is a perspective partially exploded view of a prior art embodiment of the connection elements for a dragline rigging;

Fig. 3 is a perspective partially exploded view of one embodiment of the connection elements in situ in a dragline rigging Fig. 4 is a perspective partially exploded view of prior art wear members for a dragline rigging; Fig. 5 is a perspective partially exploded view of wear members of one embodiment of the disclosure;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a prior art connector for a dragline rigging;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a connector of one embodiment of the disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form part of the detailed description. The illustrative embodiments described in the detailed description, depicted in the drawings and defined in the claims are not intended to be limiting. Other embodiments may be utilised and other changes made without departing from the spirit or scope of the subject matter presented. It will be readily

understood that the aspect of the present disclosure as generally described herein and illustrated can be

arranged, substituted, combined, separated and designed in a wide variety of configurations, all of which are

contemplated in this disclosure.

This disclosure is directed generally to connectors and wear members for a dragline rigging for use in

excavation, although the connectors and wear members may be utilised in alternative riggings.

In some forms, disclosed is a wear member for a dragline rigging having at least one connecting lug adapted to engage a connector, the at least one connecting lug having a lug surface which in use is in a facing arrangement with the connector, the wear member configured to be positioned intermediate the at least one connecting lug and the connector and contacting the connector at a bearing surface, the bearing surface having an area greater than the lug surface.

In some illustrated forms the at least one connecting lug comprises a clevis lug having two spaced apart lug elements with aligned pin cavities.

In some forms, the wear member comprises a planar body and a shroud extending therefrom and configured in use to enclose at least a portion of the connecting lug.

In some forms the shroud extends from at least a portion of the periphery of the planar body.

In some forms the shroud extends away from the bearing surface.

In some forms, disclosed is a wear member for a connecting lug in a dragline rigging, the wear member comprising a planar body and a shroud extending from at least a portion of the periphery of the planar body.

In some forms, disclosed is a connector for a dragline rigging, the connector comprising a body and two throughholes oriented to allow greater than 100 degree freedom of movement in two planes.

In some forms the two planes are substantially perpendicular to one another. In some forms the connector allows approximately 180 degrees of f eedom of movement in two planes .

In some forms the throughholes are oriented such that they are substantially perpendicular to one another.

In some forms, the throughholes comprise a first throughhole adapted to connect with an upper spreader bar and a second throughhole adapted to connect with a dump pulley.

In some forms the body comprises two conjoined annular sections, the first throughhole extending through a first annular section and the second throughhole extending through a second annular section.

Disclosed in some forms is a dragline rigging comprising at least one connecting lug adapted to engage a connector, the at least one connecting lug having a lug surface which in use is in a facing arrangement with the connector, and a wear member configured to be positioned intermediate the at least one connecting lug and the connector and contacting the connector at a bearing surface, the bearing surface having an area greater than the lug surface.

In some forms the rigging further comprises a connector having a body and two throughholes oriented to allow greater than 100 degree freedom of movement in two planes.

In some forms the at least one connecting lug extends from an upper spreader bar and the connector is configured to engage a dump pulley. As illustrated in the Figures, some illustrative embodiments of wear members have increased bearing surface areas allowing for increased wear on the wear members which act as sacrificial wear elements for a forward connection between an upper spreader bar and dump pulley assembly. In some forms this will increase the lifespan of the wear members and thus may decrease costs and

maintenance times. Some illustrative embodiments of connectors allow for greater lateral freedom of movement for a connector between an upper spreader bar and a dump pulley.

Referring to Fig. 1, disclosed is a dragline rigging 1 providing support for a dragline excavation bucket 3. The dragline rigging 1 comprises hoist chains 4 extending between an upper spreader bar 6 and a lower spreader bar 7. The upper spreader bar 6 is configured to engage one or more dump pulleys 8. In the illustrated form two dump pulleys 8 are provided. The connection 9 between the upper spreader bar 6 and the dump pulleys 8 in the illustrated form allows for freedom of movement of the dump pulleys 8 with respect to the upper spreader bar 6 in at least one direction.

The connection elements 11 of the present disclosure are positioned intermediate the upper spreader bar connection 9 and the dump pulleys 8. Fig. 2 shows a prior art connection 9 between the upper spreader bar 6 and the dump pulleys 8. In this prior art assembly, the connection elements 11 are configured to be positioned intermediate a forward connection 12 and a dump pulley connector 13. The connection elements comprise a connector 15A having a body 16A. Two throughholes 17A and 18A extend through the body. The forward throughhole 17A is positioned in use to engage the dump pulley connector 13. The rearward throughhole 18A is configured in use to engage the forward connection 12 of the upper spreader bar 6. A pin 19 is configured to be inserted through the forward connection 12 and the rearward throughhole 18A to secure the connector 15A with respect to the upper spreader bar 6. Wear members 2OA are positioned between the forward connection 12 and the connector 15A and act as sacrificial wear plates to reduce or minimize the wear on the forward connection. The forward connection 12 comprises two lugs 22 in a clevis arrangement extending from the upper spreader bar 6. Each lug 22 includes a pin cavity 23. The pin cavities 23 are aligned and configured to allow engagement between the forward connection 12 and the connector 15A by means of a pin 2 . The wear members 20A are positioned intermediate the lugs 22 and a surface of the connector 15A.

Referring to Fig. 3, disclosed is a connector 15 and wear members 20 forming connection elements 11 between a forward connection 12 of an upper spreader bar 6 and a pulley connection 13 of a dump pulley 8. The wear members 20 include a shroud 28 which acts to increase the bearing surface area of the wear members 20. Detail of the wear members is best shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. 4 depicts the prior art wear members OA which comprise a planar body 26 having a throughhole 25.

As best shown in Fig. 5, disclosed is a wear member 20 configured to act as a sacrificial wear plate between a forward connection 12 of a upper spreader bar 6 and a connector (not illustrated in this Fig.). The wear member 20 comprises a planar body 26. In the illustrated form the planar body includes a tab 27 extending in use toward the forward connection 12 of the upper spreader bar 6 and acting to prevent relative rotation of the wear member 20 with respect to the upper spreader bar 6. The wear member 20 further includes a shroud 28 extending outwardly from at least a portion of the periphery of the planar body 26.

In use, the wear members are positioned intermediate a connector (not illustrated in this Fig.). Two opposing wear members are utilized in tandem such that a first wear member is in a facing relationship with a first spaced apart lug 22 extending outwardly from the upper spreader bar and a second wear member is in a facing relationship with a second lug 22. The wear members 20 have opposing shrouds 28 extending away from the planar body 26 to encase a portion of the lug 22. In the illustrated form the shroud 28 is integral with the planar body 26 and fits snugly over the lugs 22 to encase them. The shroud 28 acts to increase the bearing area 29 of the wear member 20, that is the area which contacts the connector 15. This allows for increased wear of the wear member 20 before removal and replacement is necessitated. In some forms, the shroud 28 on the wear member 20 tends to allow the wear member to be easily located and positioned with respect to the spaced apart lugs 22 that form part of the forward connection 12 of the upper spreader bar. This allows for ease of assembly of the dragline rigging 1. Further the shroud 28 can add additional strength to the wear member 20. In some not illustrated forms the tab 27 is not required to reduce rotation of the wear members 20 with respect to the upper spreader bar 6.

The wear member 20 has been described as having a shroud extending from a portion of the periphery of the planar body 26. However persons skilled in the art will be aware that alternative shapes will provide the additional benefits of an increased bearing area 29 with the connector 15. The bearing area 29 is greater than the inner lug surface area 30. In some not illustrated forms the shroud is a curved section of the planar body 26.

The connector 15 is best shown in Figs. 6 and 7. Fig. 6 depicts a prior art connector 15A having a connector body 16 extending about two throughholes 17A and 18A. The throughholes comprise a forward throughhole 17A and a rearward throughhole 18A and the connector body is in the form of two conjoined rings 32A extending about and defining the throughholes.

The connector 15A is configured and positioned in use to connect the forward connection 12 of the upper spreader bar 6 with the dump pulley connector 13 extending from the dump pulley 8.

Fig. 7 discloses a connector 15 comprising two throughholes 17 and 18 extending through a body 16. The connector 15 is configured to allow vertical movement at the connection between rear throughhole 17 and the forward connection 12 through rotation about an axis extending through rearward throughhole 17. The rearward throughhole 17 is oriented such that the axis of the rearward throughhole 17 extends laterally.

The forward throughhole 18 of the connector 15 is oriented at an angle to the rearward throughhole 17. In the illustrated form the forward throughhole 18 is oriented at a 90 degree angle with respect to the rearward throughhole 17. Thus connection between the forward throughhole 18 and the dump pulley connector 13 allows horizontal or lateral movement between the dump pulley and the connector 15 through rotation about an axis extending through the forward throughhole 18.

In some forms the prior art connector allowed only a 15 to 25 degree freedom of movement laterally while the connector disclosed herein allows a 170 to 180 degree freedom of movement.

While the connector has been described as having a rearward throughhole allowing vertical movement and a forward throughhole allowing lateral movement, a person skilled in the art will be aware that these planes could be angled or reversed.

In the claims which follow and in the preceding description of the invention, except where the context requires otherwise due to express language or necessary implication, the word "comprise" or variations such as "comprises" or "comprising" is used in an inclusive sense, i.e. to specify the presence of the stated features but not to preclude the presence or addition of further features in various embodiments of the invention.

Variations and modifications may be made to the parts previously described without departing from the spirit or ambit of the invention.