Harnischfeger Corporation

Harnischfeger Technologies, Inc.

Harvey J Kallenberger

Joseph L Huffman

Rikos A Kasim

Emeric G Tossenberger

Darryl R Immel

Andrew P Dretzka

Robert H Blaszynski

Eric C Blom

Jerry C Sem

John P Mahoney

Mark R Zawlocki

Clifton L Sanders

Robert Blaszynski

An apparatus including a main housing including a generally horizontal platform, a boom extending from the platform, a bucket suspended from the boom, and a mast extending from the platform. The apparatus further includes a boom support strand extending between and attached to the mast and the boom, and a boom support strand oscillation dampening mechanism. The boom support strand oscillation dampening mechanism comprises a left brace and a right brace spaced apart from the left brace, and a polyester rope extending between each of the braces and the boom. Each of the ropes is attached to the boom. A device attaches the rope to the brace, and a boom support strand clamp mechanism is connected to the brace and includes a first clamp block, a second clamp block, and a flexible enclosure placed between the first clamp block and the second clamp block. The boom support strand is within the flexible enclosure, and the flexible enclosure has a length, as measured from its midsection to either end of the flexible enclosure, of more than 2 times longer than the inside diameter of the flexible enclosure. A mechanism holds the first clamp block to the second clamp block so that the flexible enclosure is clamped between the first clamp block and the second clamp block.

Boom support strand oscillation dampening mechanism

A fitting for a wire rope with a diameter, the fitting including a stiff support and being adapted to hold and to attach the wire rope to the stiff support, the fitting further comprising an elongated flexible enclosure adapted to surround the wire rope, the flexible enclosure having a length more than 2 times longer than the diameter.

Fitting for wire rope

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 sheaves, and such that the upper and lower sheaves are supported for pivotal movement independently of each other about the vertical axis, the fairlead mechanism having no sheaves between the drum and the upper and lower sheaves, and a dragline rope which is wound around the drum and which extends forward from the drum, below the lower sheave, upward from the lower sheave to the upper sheave along the vertical axis, over the upper sheave, and forward from the upper sheave to the bucket for moving the bucket generally horizontally relative to the main housing.

Fairlead mechanism

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.

Lubricating groove pattern for a journal bearing

A machine for heavy loads comprising a rope support sheave mounted on a boom between upper and lower ends of the boom for movement between a raised position wherein the sheave supports a hoist rope above the boom and a lowered position wherein the rope support sheave is accessible for maintenance.

Boom support structure for a hoist rope support sheave

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.

Dragline walking mechanism with improved planetary transmission

A rope clamp for clamping a rope to a winch drum surface comprises first and second bolts, each of which has a head and a threaded end, an upper clamp having two opposed ends and a first hole receiving the first bolt near the one end thereof and a second hole receiving the second bolt near the other end thereof. The clamp further includes a lower clamp having two opposed ends and a first indentation open from the one end thereof and receiving the first bolt, and a second indentation open from the other end thereof and receiving the second bolt. The lower clamp further has a bottom adapted to be secured to the surface and having first and second bolt head receiving slots, each of which is wider than its respective one of the first and second indentations, the first and second slots each being open at its respective lower clamp end and receiving a respective bolt head and preventing the respective bolt head from rotating. The clamp further includes two bolt retainer plates, each of which is releasably secured to a respective one of the lower clamp ends over the respective one of the first and second indentations so that the bolts are held in the first and second indentations. The clamp further includes two nuts, each of which is on a respective one of the threaded ends of the bolts.

Clamping mechanism for securing a rope to a winch drum

Apparatus comprising a lower support structure having an upper surface, a circular lower rail which is mounted on the upper surface of the lower support structure and which is centered on a generally vertical axis, an upper structure having a lower surface, a circular upper rail which is mounted on the lower surface of the upper structure and which is centered on the axis, a plurality of rollers which are located between the upper and lower rails and which support the upper structure for rotation relative to the lower structure about the axis, the rollers being rotatable about respective generally horizontal axes intersecting the vertical axis at a common point, one of the rails including an inwardly facing surface defining a portion of a sphere centered on the point, and each of the rollers including an outwardly facing surface which engages the inwardly facing surface and which defines a portion of a sphere centered on the point.

Dragline with improved thrust bearing assembly supporting upper structure

Heavy machinery comprising a lower support structure having an upper surface, and an upper structure having a generally horizontal lower surface facing the upper surface of the lower structure, the upper structure being supported above the lower structure for rotation relative to the lower structure about a generally vertical axis, and the lower surface of the upper structure having therein an upwardly extending recess surrounding the axis to provide space for a person working on the machinery, the recess being defined at least in part by an upper wall above and generally parallel to the lower surface, and by a plurality of generally planar facets surrounding the axis, each of the facets extending transversely to the upper wall and to the lower surface.

Dragline with high headroom between upper and lower structures

A dragline comprising a main housing, a bucket hoist mechanism mounted on the housing, a bucket drag mechanism mounted on the main housing, a walking mechanism for moving the main housing over the ground, the walking mechanism including a motor mounted on the main housing, a planetary transmission which is mounted on the main housing and which is driven by the motor, a transmission output shaft driven by the transmission, a walk leg housing connected to the output shaft via an output pinion, a driven gear, and a driven eccentric such that rotation of the output shaft causes walking movement of the walk leg housing, and a shoe fixed to the walk leg housing for engaging the ground during walking movement of the walk leg housing, a boom extending from the main housing, a bucket, a hoist rope extending between the bucket and the bucket hoist mechanism and over the sheave for causing vertical movement of the bucket, and a drag rope extending between the bucket and the bucket drag mechanism for causing horizontal movement of the bucket.

Dragline including improved walking mechanism

A dragline comprising a main housing, and a moving mechanism for moving the main housing over the ground, the moving mechanism including a drive mechanism mounted on the main housing, an output shaft which extends along an axis and which is driven by the drive mechanism, the output shaft having inner and outer ends, the inner end of the output shaft being spline fit to the drive mechanism such that the drive mechanism causes rotation of the transmission output shaft, a pedestal fixed to the main housing, the pedestal including a leg which has therein a bore centered on the axis, an output pinion mounted on the output shaft intermediate the inner and outer ends thereof for common rotation therewith, and a bearing capsule housed in the bore, the bearing capsule rotatably supporting the outer end of the output shaft, the leg of the pedestal including base and cap portions respectively defining lower and upper halves of the bore, the cap portion being removably fixed to the base portion, such that removal of the cap portion permits the output shaft and the bearing capsule to be lifted from the pedestal after the output shaft is moved outwardly to disengage the inner end of the output shaft from the drive mechanism.

Dragline with improved pinion shaft mounting

A 'pancake-like' thrust bearing arrangement with gravity-fed lubrication is angular to a horizontal plane and has a top edge above such plane. A load-support structure oscillates on the bearing. Such bearing has a lubricant feed aperture at the top edge and plural lubrication grooves formed in the flat bearing face and connected to such aperture by feed passages. The grooves are oriented so that they 'run downhill,' i.e., so that they intersect a circle concentric with the bearing center. Grease moves by gravity along the grooves which are 'closed-ended' to help prevent premature expulsion of grease from the bearing face.

Bearing arrangement with gravity-fed lubrication

A method and apparatus are used to mount a machine component, e.g., an electric motor, in alignment with another component such as a gear shaft of a gear transmission. The apparatus includes a bolt-attached U-shaped clamp device straddling a 'foot-like' transmission mounting base. The legs are spaced greater than the horizontal thickness of the base to permit slight base movement during mounting. The clamp device has an interior height somewhat less than the vertical height of the base. The base is shimmed so that the motor shaft is vertically aligned with the gear shaft, horizontal and angular alignment is performed and then the clamp legs are shimmed. Leg shimming is to a height such that when the clamp bolts are tightened, the base shims are under substantial compressive force and the leg shims are under only somewhat less compressive force. One or more chock blocks are welded to the machine deck to help maintain base position.

Apparatus and method for mounting machinery

A digging tooth assembly has first and second wedged members retaining a digging tooth tip on a tooth base. The improvement comprises a tension member, e.g., a bolt, coupled to the first member and engaging the second member. The bolt has an adjustable effective length so that the first member can be drawn into wedged engagement with the second member. Other aspects of the invention involve a method for assembling a digging tooth assembly having an apertured tooth tip on an apertured, supporting tooth base. The method includes the steps of inserting a first wedge-like member into the aperture, inserting a second wedge-like member into the aperture and drawing the first member upward into wedged engagement with the second member.

Assembly and method for tooth tip retention

The new method relates to a machinery assembly having (a) a housing, (b) an eccentric confined in the housing, (c) a shaft extending into the eccentric and (d) a shaft axis of rotation. A method for moving the shaft with respect to the housing includes the steps of applying a support force at a point on the housing so that such force places the housing substantially in equilibrium with respect to the axis. A withdrawing force is then applied to the shaft in a direction generally parallel to the axis. A jacking mechanism contacts the housing at a point to apply a support force to such housing. The force magnitude and direction place the housing substantially in equilibrium with respect to the axis to reduce or eliminate frictional forces.

Growing community of inventors

Wind Lake, WI, United States of America

Harvey J Kallenberger