US 4,190,116 A · Mine roof bolter

Abstract

A mine roof bolter is described which has a rotary drill head with: (1) sufficient rotative mass that breakage of bits and steel is minimized, (2) a dual drive assembly that provides balanced side thrusts against the bearings so that wear thereof is minimized, (3) a sealing assembly that protects the lubricating oil from contamination by dust and mud under very adverse conditions, (4) circulatory lubricating devices that provide oil to the sealing assembly and drive assembly, and (5) a dust collecting assembly which is suitable for fast and simple cleaning. The mine roof bolter additionally has a lift arm which is constructed with three parallelograms providing useful spatial advantages and a panic bar assembly which enables an operator to stop all hydraulic and electrical systems from two sides of the machine.

Claims19

Dependent claims

In a rotary drill head apparatus for a mine roof bolter having a central dust suction means, a drill-bit-engaging means, a pinion-and-ring gear driving means, and inner and outer oil cavities within which bearings are rotatively operable, the improvement of a circulatory lubricating means, comprising:

A. an oil lift means for lifting oil upwardly from said inner oil cavity, said oil lift means comprising an oil lift ring having at least one finger which is downwardly inclined toward the direction of rotation, and said oil lift means being rotatively operable within said inner oil cavity for said lifting of said oil upwardly;
and
B. an oil movement means for upwardly and radially moving said oil to a position above said outer oil cavity, whereby said oil falls past said pinion-and-ring gear driving means, said oil movement means comprising a plurality of diagonally and radially disposed oil passageways that are formed in a seal plate and in a chuck which are rigidly attached to and supported by a cylindrical hub which separates said inner oil cavity from said outer oil cavity.

A mine roof bolter, comprising a rotary drill head which comprises:

A. a stationary assembly, comprising a circumferential side, a bottom, a central cylindrical portion, and a dust transmission means for moving dust, which is produced by drilling in a mine roof, to a dust suction means, said dust transmission means comprising a passage which is coaxially disposed within said central cylindrical portion of said stationary assembly;
B. a rotative assembly, weighing at least about 100 pounds, which comprises:
(1) a cylindrical hub which forms an inner oil cavity with said central cylindrical portion and an outer oil cavity with said circumferential side, and
(2) a means for lifting oil upwardly from said inner oil cavity and radially to said outer oil cavity;
C. a sealing means for preventing intermixture of dust, oil, and water, comprising:
(1) an outer mechanical seal which rotatively connects said stationary assembly to said rotating assembly and separates said outer oil cavity from contaminants in the surrounding environment,
(2) an inner mechanical seal which rotatively connects said stationary assembly to said rotating assembly and forms a barrier between said dust within said dust transmission means and said oil in said inner oil cavity,
(3) a rotary seal, disposed between said central cylindrical portion and a rotatable spindle insert which connects said passage to a hollow drill rod, which assists said inner mechanical seal, and
(4) a plurality of static seals which are disposed between said dust transmission means and said oil cavities;
and
D. a dust collection assembly having a cleanout means which is readily accessible and easily operable, comprising a straight pipe, having readily removable end closures at each end thereof, which is attached to said bottom of said stationary assembly.

8 more elements

A drill head apparatus for a mine roof bolter which comprises:

A. a stationary assembly, comprising:
(1) a case having a circumferential side and a bottom with a central hole therein,
(2) a dust collection assembly which is connected to said central hole,
(3) a spindle having a base portion, which is rigidly attached to said bottom, and a central cylindrical portion with an upper end and a coaxial opening therein which is aligned with said central hole, and
(4) a seal retainer which is attached to and supported by said upper end;
B. a rotative assembly, comprising:
(1) a cylindrical hub which:
(a) coaxially surrounds and is radially spaced from said cylindrical portion of said spindle to define an inner oil cavity therebetween and is radially spaced from said circumferential side of said case to define an outer oil cavity therebetween, and
(b) is vertically spaced at its lower end from said base portion of said spindle;
(2) a ring gear and a seal plate which are rigidly attached to and supported by said hub, said ring gear being coaxially disposed to and radially spaced outwardly from said hub, and said seal plate having a plurality of oil passageways therein;
(3) a chuck which is rigidly attached to said seal plate, comprising:
(a) a central opening which is aligned with said coaxial opening,
(b) an inner recess which coaxially surrounds and is spaced from said seal retainer,
(c) an outer recess which is coaxially connected to said inner recess by said central opening,
(d) an outer circumferential flange,
(e) a circumferential groove which is spaced radially inwardly from said flange, and
(f) a plurality of oil passageways which are aligned with and connected to said oil passageways in said seal plate and which connect said inner oil cavity to said circumferential groove;
(4) an insert assembly, comprising:
(a) a cylindrical spindle insert which is inserted into and fits closely within:
(1) said coaxial opening within said cylindrical portion of said spindle, and
(2) said central opening within said chuck,
(b) a spacer which fits closely adjacent to said spindle insert and to said outer opening in said chuck,
(c) a splined insert fits nonrotatably into splines along the edge of said outer opening in said chuck, and
(d) an insert retainer which is attached to the chuck and immobilizes the splined insert;
C. a sealing means for preventing intermixture of dust, oil, and water, comprising:
(1) an outer mechanical seal which rotatively and sealably connects said side of said case to said flange,
(2) an inner mechanical seal which rotatively and sealably connects said seal plate to said seal retainer,
(3) a rotary seal between said spindle and said spindle insert, and
(4) a plurality of static seals which are disposed between:
(a) said dust collection assembly and said bottom of said case,
(b) said bottom of said case and said base portion of said spindle,
(c) said spindle and said seal retainer,
(d) said chuck and said seal plate, and
(e) said chuck and said spindle insert;
D. a bearing assembly, comprising:
(1) thrust bearings which are disposed between said base portion of said spindle and said lower end of said hub and between said inner oil cavity and said outer oil cavity,
(2) tapered roller bearings which are disposed in said inner oil cavity between said cylindrical portion of said spindle and the upper portion of said hub, and
(3) roller bearings which are disposed in said inner oil cavity between said cylindrical portion of said spindle and said hub and between said thrust bearings and said tapered roller bearings;
E. a circulatory lubricating means, disposed within said inner oil cavity, for moving oil upwardly past said tapered roller bearings, between said seal retainer and said inner mechanical seal, and into said oil passageways;
and
F. a balanced drive means for rotating said rotating assembly, comprising:
(1) a pair of pinions which rotatably engage said ring gear and are rotatively attached to said side of said case at positions 180.degree. apart within said outer oil cavity, and
(2) a pair of hydraulic motors which are connected to said pinions and to a hydraulic drive motor.

40 more elements

In a rotary apparatus for rotating tubular members having a stationary assembly and a rotating assembly in which at least one sliding mechanical seal operates in a horizontal plane between portions of its stationary assembly and portions of its rotating assembly and above the surface of a bath of lubricating oil disposed within said apparatus, an improved overhead lubricating means for reaching and lubricating said at least one mechanical seal, comprising an oil lift ring having a coaxial opening and at least one splash surface which is downwardly inclined in the direction of rotation, said lift ring being attached to said rotating assembly in parallel to said surface and disposed in proximity thereto so that said at least one splash surface dips into said bath and forcibly throws large quantities of said oil upwardly when said rotating assembly is operating.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Mine roof bolter

Life of this patent

Mine roof bolter

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims19