Caterpillar Global Mining LLC

Bucyrus International Inc.

Caterpillar Inc.

Becor Western Inc.

Other

Siemens Energy & Automation, Inc.

Carl Delbert Gilmore

David T Bienfang

Frank Richard Szpek, Jr

Kenneth J Meyer

Jeffrey Klingel

Robert M Weber

Michael G Onsager

Douglas Maki

Gurbachan S Bumraw

Philip Strydom

Jeanne Yaunke

Zoran Marjanovic

Richard Hoppens

Russell J Willmann

Perry DeCuir

Melvin W Kraschnewski

Christopher R Wanasek

Joseph Jeffery Every

Joseph A Rapp

Jeff A Jensen

Gregory N Feld

Walter Koellner

Robert F Brown, Jr

James P Piper

Calvin E Stuckemeyer

Kenneth W Hammel

Phillip W Mork

Matthew Brueck

Frank R Szpek

Jeanne M Yaunke

Christopher Robert Wanasek

Jeffrey Ryan Asman

Randy Tyler Ross

James Leigh Gill

Brian F Weber

Jamie K Sherwood

Richard Alberts

Timothy R Kerrigan

Michael Haws

Philip R Strydom

Robert F Brown

Douglas E Maki

A method for making a suspension cable to a desired length is provided. The method includes providing an initial pin hole on a tab of a socket associated with the cable. The method includes stretching the cable to a desired percentage of a rated breaking strength of the cable. The method includes measuring a length of the cable. The method includes determining a position of a final pin hole to be formed on the tab based on the measured length of the cable and a predefined tolerance. The method includes creating the final pin hole at the determined position.

Method for making suspension cable to desired length

A power shovel including a tool for lifting, a machine house, a hoist drum, hoist drum machinery and an auxiliary weight box having a perimeter, the hoist drum and hoist drum machinery being at least partially disposed within the perimeter of the auxiliary weight box and the hoist drum being disposed outside of the machine house.

Power shovel hoist machinery with auxiliary weight box

A support rail for a swing gear assembly having a thrust rail coupled to a swing gear includes a substantially horizontal first surface configured to be coupled to the swing gear such that the first surface engages a substantially horizontal top face of the swing gear, and a substantially vertical second surface intersecting the substantially horizontal first surface such that the second surface is substantially perpendicular to the first surface. The second surface is configured to engage a substantially vertical face of the thrust rail when the first surface is coupled to the swing gear. The first surface and the second surface are configured to inhibit a rotation of the thrust rail relative to the swing gear by engaging the top face of the swing gear and the vertical face of the thrust rail simultaneously.

Support rail and swing gear assembly for a mining vehicle

A support rail for a swing gear includes a first flange having a first surface configured to engage a substantially horizontal top face of the swing gear, a second flange positioned opposite the first flange, and a column portion intersecting the first flange and the second flange such that the column portion is approximately perpendicular to the first and second flanges. The column portion includes a second surface configured to engage a substantially vertical inner surface of the swing gear. The first surface and the second surface are configured to substantially inhibit a rotation of the support rail relative to the swing gear by engaging the top face and the inner surface simultaneously.

Thrust rail and swing gear assembly for a mining vehicle

A mining vehicle includes one or more crawlers, a first deck positioned above the crawlers, and a second deck positioned above the first deck. The first deck includes a first floor surface providing a walking surface, and one or more first deck maintenance components configured to allow a person to move among and access the first deck maintenance components. The second deck includes a second floor surface providing a walking surface, one or more second deck maintenance components, and one or more aisles configured to allow a person to move among and access the second deck maintenance components. The first and second decks are configured to provide maintenance access to the first and second deck maintenance components.

Multi-deck mining vehicle

A sealed hydraulic tank system for a mining shovel () includes an upper tank () and a lower tank (). An air bladder () system is coupled to the upper tank to exchange air between the tank system and the bladder. The tanks include baffles () which filter the hydraulic fluid and which direct fluid flow along an elongated path to allow for de-aeration of the oil in the tank.

Sealed hydraulic tank system for mining shovel

A dipper assembly includes a dipper, a dipper door, a closure mechanism, and one or more block assemblies. The dipper door is pivotally mounted to the dipper, and has a closed position in which the dipper door covers the dipper bottom. The closure mechanism has a locked position and an unlocked position, and is coupled to the dipper back and the dipper door. In the locked position, the closure mechanism holds the dipper door in the closed position. In the unlocked position, the closure mechanism allows the dipper door to swing away from the closed position. The block assemblies are coupled to the dipper back and limit a rotation of the side link plate to a pre-defined angle that corresponds to the closed position.

Dipper door assembly

A dipper assembly includes a dipper, a dipper door, a closure mechanism, a trip assembly, and a camshaft support assembly. The dipper door is pivotally mounted to the dipper for movement between an open position and a closed position in which the dipper door covers the dipper bottom. The closure mechanism is configured to retain the dipper door in the closed position. The trip assembly is configured to release the dipper door for movement to the open position, and includes a trip arm coupled to a camshaft and also coupled to a trip rope. The camshaft support assembly is configured to receive the camshaft, and includes a bearing block receiving a rotatable bearing member, and a sealing mechanism.

A dipper assembly includes a dipper, a dipper door, and a closure mechanism. The dipper door is coupled to the dipper, and has a closed position in which the dipper door covers the dipper bottom. The closure mechanism has a first position and a second position. In the first position the closure mechanism is configured to permit movement of the dipper door away from the dipper bottom. In the second position, the closure mechanism is configured to retain the dipper door in the closed position. The closure mechanism includes a link having a first leg and a second leg, one or more side link plates coupled to the link and to the dipper back, and a closure mechanism pin assembly configured to adjust the position of the link relative to the dipper door.

A crowd assembly () for a power shovel () includes a saddle block () adapted for pivotal connection to the shovel boom (). A tubular dipper handle () is slideably supported by the saddle block. A hydraulic actuator () has a cylinder () and a piston rod () that is outwardly extendable from one end of the cylinder. One of the cylinder or the piston rod is fixed to the dipper handle and the other one is attached to the saddle block. The cylinder and the piston rod are within the tubular dipper handle which is able to slide longitudinally over the cylinder. A guide bushing () extends around the one end of the cylinder and engages an interior surface of the dipper handle. The guide bushing thereby supports that end of the cylinder and inhibits hydraulic actuator from deflecting within the dipper handle when the piston rod is extended from the cylinder.

Hydraulic cylinder with guide bushing for a sliding dipper handle of a power shovel

An actuator system for a machine includes a linear hydraulic actuator connected to a dipper of the machine, and a hydraulic system fluidly connected to the actuator and configured to selectively direct fluid to the actuator. A component of the hydraulic system is mounted on the dipper. The system also includes an overcenter link coupled to a door of the dipper and biased to maintain the door in a closed position. A piston assembly of the actuator is configured to move the overcenter link in a first direction, via contact between the piston assembly and the overcenter link, thereby transitioning the door from the closed position to an open position.

Machine having dipper actuator system

An actuator system for a machine includes a hydraulic actuator connected to a dipper of the machine, and a hydraulic system fluidly connected to the actuator and configured to selectively direct fluid to the actuator. A component of the hydraulic system is mounted on the dipper. The system also includes an overcenter link coupled to a door of the dipper and biased to maintain the door in a closed position. The actuator is operable to move the overcenter link in a first direction, thereby transitioning the door from the closed position to an open position.

A mining shovel () includes a hydraulic system comprising a plurality of fixed displacement pumps () driven by a variable speed motor (), and a tank () system comprising an upper return tank and a lower supply tank (). A cylinder manifold () is connected to the pump control manifold (), and includes a directional control valve for directing the extend and retract functions of the cylinder (), while accepting fluid flow in a single direction from the pump control manifold. The single direction flow allows for the use of smaller fluid conduits (), such that the hose providing a high pressure supply can be comparatively smaller than the return hose ().

Hydraulic crowd system for electric mining shovel

A crowd control mechanism for a power shovel includes an extendible dipper handle having an extended position and a retracted position. A double acting hydraulic cylinder having a an extendible ram has one of the cylinder and the ram fixed to the dipper handle and the other of the cylinder and the ram is stationary relative to the dipper handle. At least one of the cylinder and the ram have at least one of a blind end port and a rod end port, and at least one of the cylinder and the ram have the other of the blind end port and the rod end port, wherein hydraulic fluid flowing into the cylinder through the blind end port urges the ram toward an extended position to extend the dipper handle, and hydraulic fluid flowing into the rod end port urges the ram toward a retracted position to retract the dipper handle. Hydraulic fluid flowing into and out of the cylinder is controlled by one or more pilot operated poppet valves. A spool valve is disposed in a pilot line controlling at least one of the pilot operated poppet valves, and the spool valve controls the flow of fluid into the pilot line to control the at least one pilot operated poppet valve as opposed to a spool valve directly controlling the flow of hydraulic fluid into and out of the cylinder.

Hydraulic crowd control mechanism for a mining shovel

Growing community of inventors

South Milwaukee, WI, United States of America

Carl Delbert Gilmore