DUST CONTAINMENT ASSEMBLY
A dust containment assembly for a work machine includes a frame having an access opening. The dust containment assembly includes a curtain assembly having a first curtain member a second curtain member. The curtain assembly further includes a curtain track assembly including at least one reciprocating cylinder assembly and first and second guide members. The first guide member is attached to one of a first edge of the first curtain member and a first side edge of the second curtain member. The second guide member is attached to one of a second edge of the first curtain member and a second side edge of the second curtain member. The second curtain member is movable between a first closed position and a second open position along the first curtain member through the first and second guide members.
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The present disclosure relates to a curtain assembly for a work machine, and more particularly to a dust curtain for a drilling machine.
BACKGROUNDIn machines such as a rotary drilling machine, once a drilling operation is completed, the machine moves to a new location. An area around a hole drilled by the machine is covered on all four sides, of which three sides are enclosed by portions of a frame of the machine and the fourth side is selectively enclosed by a dust curtain of the machine which is located at a rear end of the machine. The dust curtain is moveable, and can be raised during movement of the machine, so that heaps of the drilled material surrounding the hole does not fall back into the hole, as the machine moves past the hole.
The dust curtains are generally provided with a hinge joint at a top of the dust curtain, such that the dust curtain can pivotally flap open and lift by a certain height. This lifting operation is performed by hydraulic cylinders that are attached to the dust curtain. However, when the dust curtain is in the open position, machine sensors mounted in proximity to the dust curtain located at the rear end of the machine, are obstructed due to the pivotal lifting of the dust curtain.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,521,232, hereinafter referred to as the '232 patent, relates to an improved system for conveying and collecting airborne particulate matter and is particularly adapted to be used in conjunction with earth drilling equipment for handling both the fine and coarse drill cuttings discharged from the drill hole. The '232 patent describes one way hinged type doors configured to discharge particulate matter from the earth drilling equipment during a drilling operation. However, the '232 patent does not describe any sliding type curtain assembly that can be selectively opened during operation or positioning of the earth drilling equipment.
SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSUREIn one aspect of the present disclosure, a dust containment assembly for a work machine is disclosed. The dust containment assembly for covering an auger unit of a work machine includes a frame enclosing the auger unit and having an access opening. The dust containment assembly further includes a curtain assembly including a first curtain member attached to the frame. The first curtain member includes a first edge and a second edge positioned relative to the frame to cover a portion of the access opening. The curtain assembly further includes a second curtain member having first and second side edges, a leading edge and a trailing edge. The curtain assembly further includes a curtain track assembly. The curtain track assembly includes at least one reciprocating cylinder assembly and first and second guide members, the first guide member being attached to one of the first edge of the first curtain member and the first side edge of the second curtain member, the second guide member being attached to one of the second edge of the first curtain member and the second side edge of the second curtain member. The second curtain member is movable between a first closed position and a second open position through movement of the at least one reciprocating cylinder assembly. The first and second side edges of the second curtain member being respectively guided along the first and second edges of the first curtain member through the first and second guide members.
Other features and aspects of this disclosure will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings.
Reference will now be made in detail to specific aspects or features, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, corresponding or similar reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or corresponding parts.
The work machine 100 also includes a dust containment assembly 120 provided below the chassis 102, at a rear portion 119 of the work machine 100. The dust containment assembly 120 can be defined as a frame 121 enclosed between one or more walls 122 and a curtain assembly 202 for covering an auger unit like the work tool 116 (as seen clearly in
The second curtain member 208 includes a trailing edge 210, a leading edge 212, and first and second side edges 214. The trailing edge 210 of the second curtain member 208 is lengthwise provided with a reinforcing bar 216. The second curtain member 208 further includes a reinforcing chain 218 provided along length of the leading edge 212 and the first and second side edges 214. The reinforcing chain 218 is secured to the second curtain member 208 through holding elements 220. The reinforcing bar 216 and the reinforcing chain 218 provide structural strength to the second curtain member 208.
The second curtain member 208 further includes protruding edges 222 extending angularly from two extremities of the reinforcing bar 216 respectively. Referring to
The dust containment assembly 120 further includes a curtain track assembly 223. The curtain track assembly 223 includes at least one reciprocating cylinder assembly 224 is disposed on the chassis 102 of the work machine 100 and is attached to the trailing edge 210 of the second curtain member 208. As clearly shown in
Referring to
The hydraulic actuators 226 include hydraulic arms 228 configured to extend and retract therefrom. The hydraulic arms 228 include hooks 232 at ends 230 of the hydraulic arms 228. The hooks 232 of the hydraulic arms 228 are connected to the protruding edges 222 disposed on the second curtain member 208 via connectors 234. The hydraulic actuators 226 are configured to raise and lower the second curtain member 208 about the protruding edges 222 provided on the trailing edge 210, such that the second curtain member 208 overlaps on or extend below the first curtain member 204 respectively, based on the retraction and the extension of the hydraulic arms 228. The second curtain member 208 is selectively moveable between a first closed position 200 (see
As shown in
Further, as the work machine 100 completes the drilling portion on the ground surface, a hole is created on the ground surface with a probable heap of sand or mud or other earthy material accumulated surrounding the hole. In order to perform another drilling operation at some other portion of ground surface, the work machine 100 is moved to a new location on the worksite, so as to re-position the work tool 116 for a new operation. As the work machine 100 moves to the new position, there is a probability that during movement of the work machine 100, the heap accumulated around the hole may fall back into the hole, thereby blocking the drilled hole and leading to inefficiency. To avoid this, the second curtain member 208 of the curtain assembly 202 is moved to the second open position 300 (see
Referring to
The industrial applicability of the dust containment assembly 120 described herein will be readily appreciated from the foregoing discussion. As described earlier the second curtain member 208 is moved to the first closed position 200 during the drilling operation. Such first closed position 200 of the second curtain member 208 prevents or minimizes the spreading of the sand, mud or other earthy material during the drilling operation. Further, the second curtain member 208 is capable of being moved to the second open position 300 by the hydraulic actuators 226 in view of movement of the work machine 100; for conducting another drilling procedure. Such second open position 300 of the second curtain member 208 avoids or minimizes falling back of the heap into the drilled hole during movement of the work machine 100.
Further, as described earlier the second curtain member 208 is independently operated in a parallel and overlapping orientation about the first and second guide members 225 corresponding to the first curtain member 204, as against an angular orientation about hinge joints having probability of hindering an operating region (illustrated as a cone in
While aspects of the present disclosure have been particularly shown and described with reference to the embodiments above, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various additional embodiments may be contemplated by the modification of the disclosed machines, systems and methods without departing from the spirit and scope of what is disclosed. Such embodiments should be understood to fall within the scope of the present disclosure as determined based upon the claims and any equivalents thereof.
Claims
1. A dust containment assembly for covering an auger unit of a work machine the dust containment assembly comprising:
- a frame structured and arranged to enclose the auger unit and having an access opening;
- a curtain assembly including: a first curtain member being attached to the frame, the first curtain member having a first edge and a second edge, the first edge and the second edge being positioned relative to the frame to cover a portion of the access opening; and a second curtain member having first and second side edges, a leading edge and a trailing edge; and
- a curtain track assembly including at least one reciprocating cylinder assembly and first and second guide members, the first guide member being attached to one of the first edge of the first curtain member and the first side edge of the second curtain member, the second guide member being attached to one of the second edge of the first curtain member and the second side edge of the second curtain member,
- wherein the second curtain member is movable between a first closed position and a second open position through movement of the at least one reciprocating cylinder assembly,
- wherein the first and second side edges of the second curtain member being respectively guided along the first and second edges of the first curtain member through the first and second guide members.
Type: Application
Filed: Feb 27, 2015
Publication Date: Jun 18, 2015
Applicant: Caterpillar Inc. (Peoria, IL)
Inventors: Ramshankar Muthukumar (Chennai), Vikram Kumar R. Tallapalli (Chittoor), Arulmanimurugan Mani (Chennai), Rahman Jones (McKinney, TX)
Application Number: 14/633,142