GB2054089A

GB2054089A - Equipment for projecting elongate flexible supply elements

Info

Publication number: GB2054089A
Application number: GB7925353A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Coal Industry Patents Ltd
Current assignee: Coal Industry Patents Ltd
Priority date: 1979-07-20
Filing date: 1979-07-20
Publication date: 1981-02-11
Also published as: DE3021910A1; GB2054089B; FR2462042A1

Abstract

Equipment for protecting at least one elongated flexible supply element (1, 2) comprises a link (3) which, in use, is pivotally connected to adjacent links to provide a flexible chain defining an elongated, substantially open sided channel (7, 9, 10, 12, 14) for accommodating the or each supply element, the substantially open side of the link providing a mouth (6) for the passage of the or each supply element, a resiliently, deformable generally 'U' shaped closure member (25) being provided for closing the mouth sufficiently to retain the or each supply element within the channel. Each limb (22) of the closure member has detent means (21) for releasably retaining the closure member within recesses (20) provided in the link. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Equipment for protecting elongated flexible supply elements This invention relates to equipment for protecting at least one elongated flexible supple element, for example an electric supply cable or a hydraulic supply hose.

In particular, although not exclusively, the present invention finds applications in mining environment where equipment comprises a number of chain links each of which, in use, is adapted to be pivotally connected to each of its neighbours to define a substantially open sided elongate flexible channel extending along a longwall face in a mineral seam of the underground mine, the channel accommodating the supply element to a mining machine arranged to repeatedly traverse to and fro along the longwall face winning mineral.

An object of the present invention is to provide means for retaining the supply element within the substantially open sided elongate channel formed by the links.

According to the present invention equipment for protecting at least one elongated flexible supply element, comprises a link which, in use, is pivotally or articulatedly connectable to adjacent links to provide a chain defining an elongated substantially open sided channel for accommodating the or each elongated flexible supply element, the substantially open side of the link providing a mouth for the passage of the or each supply element into the channel, and a resiliently deformable generally 'U' shaped closure member for closing the mouth sufficiently to retain the or each elonated flexible supply element within the channel, the end margins of the two limbs of the substantially 'U' shaped closure member providing detent means for releasably retaining the end margins of the limbs in engagement with recesses provided in the link.

Preferably, the link is also generally 'U' shaped and advantageously, the recesses are provided in the base of the generally 'U' shaped link.

Conveniently, the detent means associated with each end margin is formed by flanges extending transverse to the longitudinal direction of the associated limb.

Preferably, each flange extends outwardly away from the longitudinal axis of the associated limb of the generally 'U' shaped closure member.

By way of example only, two embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side view of mining equipment constructed in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 is a sectional view along line Il-Il of Figure 1; Figure 3 is an end view partly sectional along line Ill-Ill of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a side view of three pivotally connected sets of the mining equipment of Figure 1 and viewed from the opposite direction to Figure 1; Figure 5 is a plan of a detail of mining equipment constructed in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention; Figure 6 is a sectional along line VI-VI of Figure 5; and Figure 7 is an incomplete end view of Figure 5.

Referring to Figures 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings which show a first embodiment of mining equipment for protecting two elongated flexible supply elements in an underground mine i.e. an electric supply cable 1 and a hydraulic supply hose 2 supplying a mining machine which repeatedly traverses to and fro along a longwall face in a mineral seam winning mineral from the face, the supply elements 1 and 2 are shown only in Figure 3. The mining equipment comprises a link 3 of generally U' shaped formation (as seen in Figure 3) defining a substantially open sided channel for accommodating the supply elements providing a protective shield for the supply elements.The substantially open side of the link provides a mouth 6 for the passage of each supply element into or out of the channel when a supply element needs to be replaced or when additional supply elements are required to be accommodated within the channel.

The link is of a cast two component construction comprising a metal backbone component 7 within the base 8 of the generally 'U' shaped channel and a light weight material component 9 constituting a basal casing 10 for the backbone component 7 and two limbs 12 and 14 extending from the upper and lower margins of the base 8.

The two ends of the base 8 are provided with pivotal mounting means 15 and 16 enabling the link to be pivotally connected to adjacent similar links 3' and 38 as seen in Figure 4 to form a chain of links defining an effectively elongated channel for protecting the supply elements along a substantial portion of their lengths.

As seen in Figures 1 and 4 the both end portions of the base are cut away enabling the connected links 3, 3' and 3" to pivot about the pivotal mounting means 15 and 16, pivotal movement of two adjacent links 3, 3' and 3, 3" being permitted until the base on one link 3 and 3" abuts a strengthening flange 18 on the links 3' and 3, respectively.

In Figure 2 it can be seen that the pivotal mounting means 15 is constituted by a forked end adapted to receive a tongue formation provided with pivotal mounting means 16 of the adjacent link 3' and as provided on the opposite end of the link 3 shown in Figure 2. Pivot pins (not shown) are located within the mountings 15 and 16 to pivotally connect adjacent links.

The base 8 of the channel 3 is provided with two rectangular recesses 20 (only one of which is shown in Figure 1) which are releasably engaged by detent means 21 provided on the end margins of two limbs 22 extending from the base 24 of a resiliently deformable generally 'U' shaped closure member 25 which when in an operational position with the detent means 21 engaging the recesses 20, respectively, sufficiently closes the mouth 6 to retain the supply elements 1 and 2 within the protected zone provided by the channel 3.

The detent means 21 are provided by flanges 26 extending outwardly away from the longitudinal axis of the associated limb of the generally 'U' shaped closure member. As seen in Figure 3 the recesses 20 are provided with a tapered guide 30 enabling the detent means to be relatively easily inserted in the recesses into the engaged position. The limbs 22 are provided with abutments (not shown) which when the closure member 25 is in a desired position prevent further passage of the limbs through the recesses 20 to retain the closure member 25 in the desired retained position.

In use, a plurality of links are pivotally connected and arranged in guide troughs (not shown) installed along the longwall face in the mineral seam of the underground mine, the axes of the pivotal mountings 1 5 and 16 being horizontal. Once the length of pivotally connected links is complete the supply elements 1 and 2 are passed through the mouth 6 of each link 3 into the protected zone defined by the shielding channels.

The mouth 6 of each, or of the mouths of the selected limbs 3, 3', 3" etc are then closed sufficiently to retain the supply elements 1 and 2 within the channel by engaging the resiliently deformable closure members in the position as shown in the drawings.

The end margin of each limb of each closure member then is urged between the limbs of the associated channel 3 and moved along the limbs towards the recesses 20 formed in the base 8, the closure member limbs beings resiliently deformed inwards to enable them to be inserted between the channel limbs.

When the end margins of the closure member limbs approach the base 8 they are guided into the recesses 20 by the tapered guide 30. Once the flanges 26 are through the base recesses 20 the closure member limbs are allowed to spring outwards under the action of the resilient characteristic of the closure member to take up the engaged position as seen in Figure 3.

Thus, each closure member is retained in position closing sufficiently the mouth 6 of the associated link 3 to retain the supply elements in a protected position.

Upn it being necessary to remove a closure member to facilitate access to the channel for example, for renewal of a supply element, the closure member limbs are urged together sufficiently until the flanges 26 lie within the cross-sectional area of the recesses 20. The closure member then can be simply withdrawn.

Figures 5, 6 and 7 show a detail of a second embodiment of mining equipment in which the same reference numbers have been used for similar parts previously shown in Figures 1 to 4 and in which the detent means 21 at the end of each limb 22 of the generally 'U' shaped closure member comprise transverse slots 100 defining a hammer head catch 102 (as seen in Figure 5). The recess 20 is generally 'T' shaped as seen in Figure 7 having two abutments 104 located on opposite sides of the central limb of the generally 'T' shaped recess.

In use the detent end of the limb 22 is urged towards the recess 20, the detent means being guided towards the recess by a pair of tapered guides 30. The hammer head catch 102 passes through the relatively large recess area provided by the cross limb section of the generally 'T' shaped recess. Once the hammer head catch 102 is through the recess the closure member is released permitting the limbs 22 to spring outwards locating the hammer head catch behind the pair of abutments 104. Thus the closure member is retained in the link engaged position.

Shoulders 1 10 abut the base 8 to retain the limb 22 in the desired position.

When it is desired to release the closure member the limb 22 is urged upwards (as seen in Figure 6) until the hammer head catch is clear of the abutments 104 permitting the detent means to be withdrawn from the associated recess 20.

From the above description it will be appreciated that the present invention provides means for effectively retaining the supply elements within the substantially open sided link, the means being simple and easy to use.

Claims

1. Equipment for protecting at least one elongated flexible supply element, comprising a link which, in use, is pivotally or articulatedly connectable to adjacent links to provide a chain defining an elongated, substantially open sided channel for accommodating the or each elongated flexible supply element, the substantially open side of the link providing a mouth for the passage of the or each supply element into the channel, and a resiliently deformable generally 'U' shaped closure member for closing the mouth sufficiently to retain the or each elongated flexible supply element within the channel, the end margins of the two limbs of the substantially 'U' shaped closure member providing detent means for releasably retaining the end margins of the limbs in engagement with recesses provided in the link.

2. Equipment as claimed in claim 1, in which the link is generally 'U' shaped.

3. Equipment as claimed in claim 2, in which the recesses are provided in the base of the generally 'U' shaped link.

4. Equipment as claimed in claim 3, in which the detent means associated with each end margin is formed by flange extending transverse to the longitudinal direction of the associated limb.

5. Equipment as claimed in claim 4, in which each flange extends outwardly away from the longitudinal axis of the associated limb of the generally U' shaped closure member.

6. Equipment as claimed in claim 3, in which the detent means associated with each end margin is formed by slots provided in the associated end margin to define a hammer head catch.

7. Equipment for providing at least one supply element, substantially as described herein and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

8. Equipment comprising a plurality of pivotally connected sets of equipment as claimed in any one of the preceding claims.