Abstract: A power shovel including a frame, a boom mounted on the frame, a crowd drive mechanism mounted on the boom, and a dipper handle supported by the crowd mechanism. A dipper is connected to the handle for movement therewith, the dipper defining material receiving and material discharging openings with substantially identical areas. The dipper includes a generally planar back wall, a generally planar front wall, the front wall being opposite and substantially parallel to the back wall, generally trapezoidal and substantially parallel side walls connecting the back wall and the front wall, and a lip arranged along an upper edge of the front wall. A lip angle of the dipper is between three and five degrees, and a tooth angle is between 46 and 50 degrees.

Abstract: A dragline comprising a main housing including a generally horizontal platform, a boom extending forwardly from the main housing, a bucket suspended from the boom, a winding drum mounted on the platform for rotation about a generally horizontal axis, a fairlead mechanism mounted on the platform forward of the drum, the fairlead mechanism including an upper sheave mounted on a generally C-shaped upper bracket for rotation relative thereto about a generally horizontal upper axis, the upper bracket opening rearwardly and being mounted on the platform for pivotal movement about a generally vertical axis, and a lower sheave mounted on a generally C-shaped lower bracket for rotation relative thereto about a generally horizontal lower axis rearward and below the upper axis, the lower bracket being substantially identical to the upper bracket, opening forwardly and being mounted on the platform for pivotal movement about the generally vertical axis, such that the vertical axis extends between the upper and lower shea

Abstract: A roller is designed for adaptation into a blasthole drill and is specifically designed for use in conjunction with a rotary carriage to allow the carriage to move up and down a blasthole drill mast as needed. The roller is made of a substantially non-deformable material combined with a deformable material. Under light loads, the deformable material contacts and supports the load to provide enhanced operation of the roller. Under heavy loads, the deformable material advantageously deforms to a point which allows the substantially non-deformable material and deformable material to contact and cooperatively support the load.

Abstract: A roof bolting apparatus comprising a frame, a rotary drive mounted on the frame for rotating a workpiece rod used in a mining operation, a timber jack rod supported by the frame, the timber jack rod having an upper end and having therein a hydraulic passage, a top plate mounted on the timber jack rod for movement therewith, the top plate having therein a hydraulic circuit communicating with the hydraulic passage in the timber jack rod, and first and second hydraulic cylinders movably mounted on the top plate, the cylinders communicating with the hydraulic circuit in the top plate, and each cylinder having an end defining a jaw, such that hydraulic fluid flow into the cylinders causes the ends of the cylinders to move toward each other, thereby causing the jaws to move together for holding the workpiece rod therebetween.

Abstract: A blasthole drill including a deck wrench for holding a drill pipe section to facilitate the unthreading of an adjoining drill pipe section from an overall drill pipe string. The deck wrench includes an engagement surface which is selectively engageable with an engagement surface of a drill pipe section to substantially prevent rotation of the drill pipe section in either direction about its longitudinal axis. The deck wrench is engageable with an upper drill pipe section so that a joint between the upper drill pipe section and a rotary head can be tightened when the rotary head is rotated in one direction. The deck wrench is engageable with a lower drill pipe section so that a joint between the lower drill pipe section and the upper drill pipe section can be broken when the rotary head is rotated in an opposite direction. The joint between the rotary head and the upper drill pipe section, once tightened, should be stronger than the joint between the upper drill pipe section and the lower drill pipe section.

Abstract: A power mining shovel including a drive train drivingly connected to ground-engaging device, the drive train including a drive train shaft, and a disc brake apparatus operably connected to the drive train shaft for selectively preventing rotation of the drive train shaft, the disc brake apparatus including a brake hub mounted on the drive train shaft for rotation therewith, the brake hub including an outer member rotatable about the axis, the outer member including an inner wall defining a generally cylindrical bore centered on the axis, the inner wall having therein a plurality of recesses, the brake hub also including an inner member rotatable about the axis, the inner member including internal splines engaging the drive train shaft to prevent relative rotation of the inner member and the drive train shaft, the inner member being located in the bore of the outer member and having a generally cylindrical outer wall, the outer wall having therein a like plurality of recesses, each of the recesses in the outer

Abstract: A journal bearing including a generally cylindrical outer surface, and a generally cylindrical inner surface including an inner edge, an outer edge, a midline defined as a circumferential line midway between the inner edge and the outer edge, a least-loaded region and a highest-loaded region, and a first groove pattern symmetric about the midline, the pattern extending from the least-loaded region to the highest-loaded region, the pattern including a lubricant entry point on the midline in the least-loaded region, a lubricant reservoir on the midline on the opposite side of the highest-loaded region from the lubricant entry point, and substantially more grooving in the least-loaded region than in the highest-loaded region.

Abstract: Power shovels include a dipper door which must be held shut to retain a load of material within a dipper and which must be allowed to open to discharge the load of material from the dipper. Such dipper doors are extremely heavy and, as a result, the opening and closing of the dipper doors must be dampened in order to prevent the dipper doors from banging against other components of the power shovels. There is provided a hydraulic assembly which is mounted to a dipper body and a dipper door of a dipper of a power shovel. The hydraulic assembly includes a restricted flow conduit to prevent unrestricted flow of hydraulic fluid between fluid chambers of the hydraulic assembly. Accordingly, as the dipper door opens or closes, as the hydraulic fluid moves from one chamber of the hydraulic assembly to the other, the restricted movement of the fluid causes the dipper door to open or close in a controlled manner thereby dampening the effect of movement of the dipper door.

Abstract: A mining machine comprising a vehicle body having forward and rearward ends, the vehicle body being movable along a mine floor, a cutter head mounted on the forward end of the vehicle body, and a position sensing and control apparatus including first and second generally vertical, generally parallel surfaces on the vehicle body, an off-board light source emitting a light beam that strikes the surfaces, an imaging device for imaging both of the plates in a single image, and a computer receiving the single image from the camera, the computer using the single image to determine at least one of the roll, yaw and lateral offset of the machine.

Abstract: A blasthole drill includes a drill pipe seal to seal an opening around a drill pipe which extends through a drill deck in order to substantially prevent drilled ground material, such as dust and rock chips, from escaping into the atmosphere. The seal comprises a pliable membrane which is capable of sealing the opening around the drill pipe and which also allows the drill pipe to be positioned in variable drilling positions while still providing the necessary sealing arrangement. First and second flexible seal flaps are connected to the drill deck in an overlapping fashion. The seal flaps are separable to allow the drill pipe to pass therethrough, but otherwise remain overlapped. The flexible seal flaps substantially seal the opening around the drill pipe in any operable position of the drill pipe. To increase the sealing effectiveness, additional pairs of similar seal flaps may be added.

Abstract: A dragline comprising a main housing, a moving mechanism for moving the main housing over the ground, and a planetary transmission driving the moving mechanism, the planetary transmission including a transmission housing, a sun gear, a ring gear and planet gears centered on a center axis, the planet gears meshing with the ring gear and the sun gear so that the planet gears rotate about the center axis, the planet gears drivingly connected to a carrier, the carrier including a low-friction coating on a carrier annular surface and a carrier cylindrical surface, the low-friction coating reducing friction between the carrier and the transmission housing.

Abstract: Apparatus comprising a first member including first and second member engagement surfaces, a second member, a pin pivotally connecting the first and second members, the pin having a longitudinal axis and opposite ends, and a retainer for retaining the pin in position relative to the first and second members, the retainer having a center of gravity and including first and second retainer engagement surfaces, the retainer being movable relative to the first member between a retaining position and a non-retaining position so that, when the retainer is in the retaining position, the first and second member engagement surfaces respectively engage the first and second retainer engagement surfaces to limit axial movement of the retainer relative to the first member, the retainer covers one end of the pin and thereby limits axial movement of the pin relative to the first member, the retainer has a point of engagement with the first member, and the position of the center of gravity relative to the point of engagement

Abstract: A vehicle including a structural member treated with a coating, the coating having imbedded therein refractory materials in areas where the structural member is subjected to high temperatures greater than 180 degrees Fahrenheit, the refractory materials being greater than 400 wire mesh in size and comprising 65 to 90 percent of the combined coating and refractory materials by weight.

Abstract: A method for forming a structural member, the method comprising the steps of placing a first sheet member having a length dimension greater than a width dimension in a press, placing a second sheet member having a length dimension greater than a width dimension in the press, the second member only partially overlapping the first member, the first member only partially overlapping the second member, and the direction of the length dimension of the second member being angled relative to the direction of the length dimension of the first member, and closing the press to shape the first member and the second member.

Abstract: An electric vehicle comprising a body, an axle rotatably supported by the body, a rotor supported by the body for rotation about a longitudinal axis, a gearing assembly for selectively drivingly connecting the rotor to the axle, and a stator supported by the body. The stator includes a stator core which has a longitudinal opening housing the rotor and which has an outer surface. The outer surface includes upper and lower longitudinally extending recesses oppositely disposed relative to the axis. The stator also includes upper and lower cleats respectively mounted in the upper and lower recesses, the cleats and the longitudinal axis defining a common vertical plane.

Abstract: Combustion apparatus comprising a combustion chamber, a forced draft mixer and burner assembly extending into the combustion chamber, the assembly including a mixing tube having an open end, an opposed closed end, and a generally cylindrical, foraminous side wall extending between the ends, and a plurality of generally circular disks supported in the tube in spaced-apart relation over the length of the tube, the diameters of the disks increasing in the direction from the open end to the closed end, a blower for supplying air to the to the open end of the mixing tube, and a heat exchanger located in the combustion chamber adjacent the mixer and burner assembly.

Abstract: A method for forming a structural member, the method comprising the steps of placing a first sheet member having a length dimension greater than a width dimension in a press, placing a second sheet member having a length dimension greater than a width dimension in the press, the second member only partially overlapping the first member, the first member only partially overlapping the second member, and the direction of the length dimension of the second member being angled relative to the direction of the length dimension of the first member, and closing the press to shape the first member and the second member.

Abstract: A box section frame member includes an upper channel-shaped member having the flanges partially telescoped into the flanges of a lower channel-shaped mender. A weld connection is made at the upper edge of the lower channel-shaped member. The flanges of the lower channel-shaped member are formed with integral struck out T-shaped tabs which project inwardly and are longitudinally spaced. The upper channel-shaped member is provided with correspondingly spaced T-shaped openings located to mate with the tabs in the assembled relation. The tabs and opening are made during the formation of the channel members which are pre-assembled by press fitting of channel-shaped members with the flanges and web portions thereof deflecting to permit the movement of the openings past and into locking engagement with the tabs.

Abstract: In a front wheel drive vehicle, a rear suspension system is provided for non-driven non-steered rear wheels. A twist beam axle extends along a transverse horizontal line between the rear wheels, and a pair of coil springs extend along respective spaced parallel axes intersecting the noted transverse horizontal line. A stabilizer torsion bar extends along the transverse horizontal line of the twist beam axle. Each spring seat assembly is attached between its respective wheel spindle mounting plate and the twist beam axle such that the wheel spindle mounting plate is spaced outwardly of the twist beam axle. The stabilizer torsion bar extends between the spring seat assemblies and is attached to each at a point spaced inwardly of the respective wheel spindle mounting plate and inboard of the respective coil spring. Upper and lower mating shell structure is provided for the spring seat assemblies, including an upper surface with an opening therein through which the respective coil spring extends.

Abstract: An electric vehicle comprising a body, an axle rotatably supported by the body, a rotor supported by the body for rotation about a longitudinal axis, a gearing assembly for selectively drivingly connecting the rotor to the axle, and a stator supported by the body. The stator includes a stator core which has a longitudinal opening housing the rotor and which has an outer surface. The outer surface includes upper and lower longitudinally extending recesses oppositely disposed relative to the axis. The stator also includes upper and lower cleats respectively mounted in the upper and lower recesses, the cleats and the longitudinal axis defining a common vertical plane.