DEVICE FOR HOLDING BUSH MEMBER WITH DRILL COLUMN OF MACHINE
A device for holding a bush member with a drill column of a machine is disclosed. The device includes a first member adapted to engage with the bush member. The device also includes a second member spaced apart from the first member. The second member is coupled to the first member by a connecting member. The second member includes an opening to receive the drill column. The device includes a flange member removably coupled to the second member. The flange member includes a first engagement portion adapted to contact with an outer surface of the drill column having a first perimeter. The first engagement portion is supported on a step portion defined in the drill column.
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The present disclosure relates to a drilling machine, and more particularly to a device for holding a bush member with a drill column of the drilling machine.
BACKGROUNDDrilling machines, such as rotary blasthole drills, are employed in various industries, such as mining and construction, for performing drilling operations on a work surface. Typically, a rotary blasthole drill includes a drill string having a drill column connected to a drill bit, such as a tri-cone bit. The drill column is guided by a deck bushing in a deck of the rotary blasthole drill. The drill column is provided to transmit a rotational motion and a translation motion received from a rotary head and a feed system, respectively, to the drill bit for performing the drilling operations.
Due to repeated drilling operations, the drill bit may be subjected to wear and, therefore, may require either replacement or sharpening of the drill bit. Replacement of the drill bit requires hoisting and supporting of the deck bushing above the deck. In addition, dimensional characteristics, such as size and weight, of the deck bushing render handling of the deck bushing, difficult. As such, during attempts to replace the deck bushing manually, without aid of any support, the deck bushing may slide off the drill column and may cause physical injury to maintenance personnel involved in the replacement activity.
SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSUREIn one aspect of the present disclosure, a device for holding a bush member with a drill column of a machine is provided. The device includes a first member adapted to engage with the bush member. The device also includes a second member spaced apart from the first member. The second member is coupled to the first member by a connecting member. The second member includes an opening to receive a wrench flat of the drill column therein. The device includes a flange member removably coupled to the second member. The flange member includes a first engagement portion adapted to contact with an outer surface of the drill column having a first perimeter. The first engagement portion is supported on a step portion defined in the drill column.
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 embodiments 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 drill column 12 includes an outer surface 40 having a first cylindrical portion 42, and a second cylindrical portion 44. The drill column 12 also includes a wrench flat 46 that is provided between the first cylindrical portion 42 and the second cylindrical portion 44. A step portion 50 is defined in the drill column 12. More specifically, the step portion 50 is defined between the wrench flat 46 and the second cylindrical portion 44 of the drill column 12. In the present embodiment, the drill column 12 has a first perimeter defined by the wrench flat 46. Dimensional characteristics, such as length and diameter, of the drill column 12 may vary based on the drilling operation to be performed in the work surface, without limiting the scope of the present disclosure. The drill column 12 is guided through the drill deck 14 of the drilling machine 10 to the work surface by the bush member 34. More specifically, the drill column 12 is guided by the bush member 34 through an opening 51 formed in the drill deck 14 of the drilling machine 10 to the work surface, for performing the drilling operation on the work surface.
The bush member 34 includes an outer member 52 and an inner member 54. The outer member 52 has a cylindrical shape. The outer member 52 includes a flange portion 56 having a first surface 60 and a second surface 62. The inner member 54 is concentrically disposed within the outer member 52. The inner member 54 is rotatable with respect to the outer member 52 of the bush member 34 about a vertical axis Y-Y′ defined by the drill column 12. In one example, the bush member 34 may include a number of steel balls disposed between the outer member 52 and the inner member 54, thereby allowing the rotation of the inner member 54 with respect to the outer member 52. In another example, a bearing assembly (not shown) may be provided between the outer member 52 and the inner member 54.
The inner member 54 includes a bore 64 for receiving the drill column 12 therein along the vertical axis Y-Y′. The inner member 54 forms a surface contact with the outer surface 40 of the drill column 12. More specifically, the inner member 54 forms the surface contact with the outer surface 40 of the drill column 12 such that the inner member 54 rotates along with the drill column 12. During the drilling operation, the bush member 34 is sited in the drill deck 14 of the drilling machine 10 such that the outer member 52 remains stationary with respect to the drill deck 14 and the inner member 54 rotates along with the drill column 12.
The operator cabin 18 is supported on the drill deck 14 of the drilling machine 10. The operator cabin 18 includes a number of input devices (not shown) for controlling drilling operations and various other operations associated with the drilling machine 10. The input devices may include, but are not limited to, a push-button, a control lever, and a steering wheel. The input devices are provided to control a movement of various actuators, such as an actuator 66 (shown in
During the drilling operation, the tool bit 36 is subjected to wear and, therefore require replacement of the tool bit 36. During replacement of the tool bit 36 from the drill column 12, the bush member 34 should be hoisted and supported above the drill deck 14 of the drilling machine 10. As shown in
The device 24 includes a second member 78 having a U-shaped profile. The second member 78 includes an upper surface 80 and a lower surface 82 having a pair of stoppers 83. The second member 78 also includes a second outer periphery 84 and a second inner periphery 86. The second member 78 includes a first arm 87 and a second arm 88 parallel to the first arm 87. Each of the first arm 87 and the second arm 88 includes a pair of holes (not shown) extending between the upper surface 80 and the lower surface 82 thereof. Each of the first and second arms 87, 88 also includes a pair of fastening nuts 89. The fastening nuts 89 are aligned with the holes and welded to the upper surface 80 of the first arm 87 and the second arm 88. Further, the second member 78 includes an opening 90 to receive the drill column 12 therein.
The second member 78 is spaced apart from the first member 68. More specifically, the second member 78 is spaced apart from the first member 68 along a vertical axis Z-Z′. The second member 78 is coupled to the first member 68 by a number of connecting members 91. More specifically, the connecting members 91 are welded to the first member 68 and the second member 78 of the device 24, thereby connecting the first member 68 with the second member 78. The connecting members 91 are welded to the first outer periphery 74 of the first member 68 and the second outer periphery 84 of the second member 78. Although the device 24 shown in the accompanying figures includes three connecting members 91, the number of connecting members 91 may vary based on various parameters including, but not limited to, a size and a weight of the bush member 34.
The device 24 also includes a handling member 92 connected to the upper surface 80 of the second member 78. More specifically, the handling member 92 is welded to the upper surface 80 of the second member 78. The handling member 92 has a tubular cross-section. The handling member 92 is provided for assisting maintenance personal for holding and positioning the device 24, while attaching and removing the device 24 from the drill column 12.
Further, the device 24 includes a pair of flange members 93. The pair of flange members 93 includes a first flange member 94 and a second flange member 95. Each of the first flange member 94 and the second flange member 95 has a rectangular profile. Each of the first flange member 94 and the second flange member 95 includes a first engagement portion 96 and a second engagement portion 97. The first engagement portion 96 includes a first flat portion 98 and a first curvilinear portion 99. Similarly, the second engagement portion 97 includes a second flat portion 100 and a second curvilinear portion 101.
Further, each of the first flange member 94 and the second flange member 95 includes a pair of holes 102 located between the first engagement portion 96 and the second engagement portion 97. More specifically, the pair of holes 102 is located at a first distance “L1” from the first engagement portion 96 and at a second distance “L2” from the second engagement portion 97. In the present embodiment, the first distance “L1” is greater than the second distance “L2”. The pair of holes 102 of the first flange member 94 and the second flange member 95 is aligned with the pair of holes of the first arm 87 and the second arm 88, respectively, during assembly of the first and second flange members 94, 95 with the second member 78.
The device 24 also includes a pair of bracket members 103 coupled to the first arm 87 and the second arm 88 of the second member 78. More specifically, the bracket members 103 are welded on the second outer periphery 84 of the second member 78. Each of the bracket members 103 includes a pair of holes 104 and a pair of fastening nuts 105. The fastening nuts 105 are welded to the bracket members 103 such that the fastening nuts 105 are aligned with the pair of holes 104. The bracket members 103 are provided for holding the first flange member 94 and the second flange member 95, when the first flange member 94 and the second flange member 95 are removed from the first arm 87 and the second arm 88 after the intended usage thereof. More specifically, the bracket members 103 are used for storing the first and second flange members 94, 95, when the first and second flange members 94, 95 are not in use.
Referring to
As described earlier, the first flange member 94 and the second flange member 95 are selectively coupled to the second member 78. Referring to
In yet another embodiment, the first flange member 94 and the second flange member 95 are removed from the second member 78 to accommodate a drill column (not shown) having a third perimeter within the opening 90 of the second member 78. The first flange member 94 and the second flange member 95 may be attached to the pair of bracket members 103, via the fastening members 106. The third perimeter is greater than the first perimeter and the second perimeter. In an example, the third perimeter of the drill column may be 5 inches. In such an embodiment, a portion of each of the first arm 87 and the second arm 88 is supported on a step portion (not shown) of the drill column. The pair of stoppers 83 abuts an outer surface of the drill column, thereby minimizing slippage of the device 24 from the drill column.
INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITYThe present disclosure relates to the device 24 for holding the hush member 34 with the drill column 12 of the drilling machine 10, while removing the tool bit 36 from the drill column 12. The device 24 holds the bush member 34 above the drill deck 14 of the drilling machine 10, thereby restricting the movement of the bush member 34 in the upward direction and the downward direction along the vertical axis X-X′. This eliminates slippage of the bush member 34 in the downward direction while removing the tool bit 36 from the drill column 12.
The device 24 can be used in any type of the drilling machine 10, such as a mechanically powered drilling machine, a hydraulically powered drilling machine, an electrically powered drilling machine, and a pneumatically powered drilling machine. The device 24 can be used for holding the bush member 34 with the drill column 12 with different dimensional characteristics. Therefore, the device 24 has a wide range of application across industries. Moreover, the device 24 can be conveniently retrofittable with the drill column 12 for holding the bush member 34. Therefore, the present disclosure offers the device 24 for holding the bush member 34, which is economical and cost effective.
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 device for holding a bush member with a drill column of a machine, the device comprising:
- a first member adapted to engage with the bush member;
- a second member spaced apart from the first member, and coupled to the first member by a connecting member, the second member includes an opening to receive the drill column therein; and
- a flange member removably coupled to the second member, the flange member includes a first engagement portion adapted to contact with an outer surface of the drill column having a first perimeter, wherein the first engagement portion is supported on a step portion defined in the drill column.
2. The device of claim 1, wherein the flange member includes a second engagement portion opposite to the first engagement portion, wherein the second engagement portion is adapted to contact with an outer surface of the drill column having a second perimeter.
3. The device of claim 2, wherein the flange member includes a hole between the first engagement portion and the second engagement portion to allow coupling of the flange member with the second member via a fastening member, wherein the hole is located at a first distance from the first engagement portion and at a second distance from the second engagement portion to selectively couple the flange member with the second member based on the first perimeter and the second perimeter of the drill column.
Type: Application
Filed: May 31, 2016
Publication Date: Oct 6, 2016
Applicant: Caterpillar Global Mining LLC (South Milwaukee, WI)
Inventors: Gregory Scott (Allen, TX), Jared M. Salzer (Tremont, IL)
Application Number: 15/168,753