System and method for supporting elevated power rails
AssigneeCaterpillar Global Mining Equipment LLC
InventorIgor Strashny
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A modular structure supports elevated rail segments for delivering electrical power to a moving work machine, such as a hauler at a mining site. Opposite ends of a roadside barrier contain complementary tubular couplers arranged vertically. A lower end of a dielectric post positioned in one of the tubular couplers has opposing dielectric plates at an upper end. A top edge of each plate has a creepage concavity between a pair of rail recesses. Another dielectric post of similar configuration is positioned in the other of the tubular couplers. Holes within the couplers and the posts ensure alignment of respective rail recesses in which conductive rails are placed. Dielectric inserts frictionally lock the rails into the rail recesses.
Claims19
A modular and relocatable conductor rail assembly for providing power to mobile mining machine, comprising:
- a plurality of posts, each post having a bottom end and a top end;
- a bracket assembly coupled to the top end of each post;
- and
- at least one power rail coupled to a top-most surface of the bracket assembly so that the at least one power rail extends above the bracket assembly forming a top-most surface of the modular and relocatable conductor rail assembly and is configured to provide power to the mobile mining machine.
A modular and relocatable conductor rail assembly for providing power to mobile mining machine, comprising:
- a plurality of posts, each post having a bottom end and a top end;
- a bracket assembly coupled to the top end of each post;
- a plurality of power rails, each power rail coupled to the bracket assembly,
- wherein at least one power rail of the plurality of power rails forms a top-most surface of the modular and relocatable conductor rail assembly;
- and
- at least one movable barrier connected to at least one post of the plurality of posts,
- wherein the plurality of posts, the bracket assemblies, the plurality of power rails, and the at least one movable barrier are configured to provide the modular and relocatable conductor rail assembly at a height of at least eight feet above the ground.
A method for creating a conductive rail assembly along a travel path for a mobile mining machine, the method comprising:
- aligning a plurality of posts along a travel path, each post of the plurality of posts having a top end and a bottom end;
- coupling a bracket assembly to the top end of each post of the plurality of posts;
- and
- coupling a plurality of rails to each bracket assembly such that the plurality of rails forms a top-most surface of the rail assembly,
- wherein the plurality of posts and the plurality of rails are aligned with the travel path of the mobile mining machine.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.