US 10,589,755 B2Granted

Aerial rope hoist system suitable for an open pit mine

AssigneeTimberland Equipment Limited

InventorsBenjamin Matthew Fong, Clifford Jordan Trachsel

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Abstract

An aerial rope tramway or slope hoist system suitable for use in an open pit mine or similar application. According to an embodiment, the aerial slope hoist system comprises an upper station and a lower station. The upper station is configured in proximity to a surface section of the open pit and the lower station is configured at a lower section of the open pit mine. According to an embodiment, the upper station comprises first and second towers and the lower station comprises first and second towers. The towers are configured to support respective ends of first and second suspension cable assemblies. Each of the suspension cable assemblies is configured to support and carry a trolley or skip. The system comprises a hoist configured to move the respective trolleys in opposite directions. The towers for the lower station are configured to be moveable and provide the capability to break down the system and/or lengthen or reduce the span of the system.

Claims14

Dependent claims

An aerial rope hoist system configured for hauling material from an open pit mine, said aerial rope hoist system comprising:

an upper station configured in proximity to a surface section of the open pit mine;
a lower station configured at a lower section of the open pit mine;
said upper station comprising first and second towers, said first tower being configured for supporting one end of a first suspension cable assembly, and said second tower being configured to support one end of a second suspension cable assembly;
said lower station comprising moveable first and second lower towers, said moveable first lower tower being configured to support the other end of said first suspension cable assembly, and said moveable second lower tower being configured to support the other end of said second suspension cable assembly;
a first trolley operatively coupled to said first suspension cable assembly and configured to support a first container;
a second trolley operatively coupled to said second suspension cable assembly and configured to support a second container;
a first haul rope coupled to said first trolley at one end and operatively coupled to a hoist at another end;
a second haul rope coupled to said second trolley at one end and operatively coupled to said hoist at another end;
and
said hoist being configured to move said first trolley and said second trolley in parallel and in opposite directions on said respective first suspension cable assembly and second suspension cable assembly, wherein said first trolley and said first container and said second trolley and said second container provide a counterbalance for each other.

7 more elements

An aerial rope hoist system configured for hauling material from an open pit mine, said aerial rope hoist system comprising:

an upper station configured in proximity to a surface section of the open pit mine;
a lower station configured at a lower section of the open pit mine;
a first suspension cable assembly comprising first and second suspension cables, and a second suspension cable assembly comprising first and second suspension cables;
said upper station comprising first and second towers, said first tower being configured for supporting one end of each of said first and second suspension cables in said first suspension cable assembly, and said second tower being configured for supporting one end of each of said first and second suspension cables in said second suspension cable assembly;
said lower station comprising moveable first and second lower towers, said moveable first lower tower being configured to support the other ends of said first and second suspension cables in said first suspension cable assembly, and said moveable second lower tower being configured to support the other ends of said first and second suspension cables in said second suspension cable assembly;
a first trolley operatively coupled to said first and second suspension cables and configured to support a first container;
a second trolley operatively coupled to said first and second suspension cables in said second suspension cable assembly and configured to support a second container;
a first haul rope coupled to said first trolley at one end and operatively coupled to a hoist at another end;
a second haul rope coupled to said second trolley at one end and operatively coupled to said hoist at another end;
and
said hoist being configured to move said first trolley and said second trolley in parallel and in opposite directions on said respective first and second suspension cables in said first suspension cable assembly and said respective first and second suspension cables in said second suspension cable assembly, wherein said first trolley and said first container and said second trolley and said second container provide a counterbalance for each other, so that power from said hoist is primarily utilized for load hauling.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.