US 5,690,449 AGranted

Tool base securing system

AssigneeCannon Industries, Inc.

InventorsWard D. Morrison, Perry L. Coombs

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

A tool base securing system for a rock bolter. One aspect of the invention provides a securing system for the tool base which is being advanced on a cradle along a feed shell. This system includes a forward latch which is pivotably attached to the forward section of the cradle base and has a tool base engaging lug. A mechanical linkage is provided to engage and disengage the front lug from the tool base as the cradle is advanced from and returned to a park position on the feed shell. In a preferred embodiment a rear latch is also provided which has a mechanical linkage for engaging and disengaging a rear lug. A second aspect of the invention provides a securing system which provides a mechanical interlock which immobilizes all tool bases which are off the cradle when the cradle is being advanced.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An improved rock bolter, the rock bolter having:

tool bases on which bolt setting tools are mounted;
a transfer platform with tool base transfer tracks for slidably engaging and guiding the tool bases;
a cradle having tool base embracing tracks, a cradle front section, and a cradle rear section;
a transfer slider for positioning the tool bases on the transfer platform and the cradle such that one of the tool bases becomes an on-cradle tool base and is positioned on the cradle with the remaining tool bases being defined as off-cradle tool bases;
and
a feed shell on which the cradle rides providing for advancement of the on-cradle tool base from a park position wherein the tool base embracing tracks are aligned with the tool base transfer tracks to a forward region of the feed shell near a surface where a rock bolt is to be installed;
the improvement comprising a tool base securing system having:
a front latch pivotably mounted on the front section of the cradle, said front latch having a front tool base engaging lug for engaging the on-cradle tool base;
means for engaging said front tool base engaging lug with the on-cradle tool base as the cradle is advanced along the feed shell from the park position toward the forward region of the feed shell, said means for engaging said front tool base engaging lug being a mechanical linkage designed to block advancement of the cradle unless said front tool base engaging lug is engaged with the on-cradle tool base;
means for disengaging said front tool base engaging lug from the on-cradle tool base as the cradle is returned to the park position, said means for disengaging said front tool base engaging lug being a mechanical linkage designed to prevent return of the cradle to the park position unless said front tool base engaging lug is disengaged from the on-cradle tool base;
and
means for maintaining said front tool base engaging lug engaged with the on-cradle tool base when the cradle traverses the feed shell.

9 more elements

An improved rock bolter, the rock bolter having:

tool bases on which bolt setting tools are mounted;
a transfer platform with tool base transfer tracks for slidably engaging and guiding the tool bases;
a cradle having tool base embracing tracks;
a transfer slider for positioning the tool bases on the transfer platform and the cradle such that one of the tool bases becomes an on-cradle tool base and is positioned on the cradle with the remaining tool bases being off-cradle tool bases;
and
a feed shell on which the cradle rides providing for advancement of the on-cradle tool base from a park position wherein the tool base embracing tracks are aligned with the tool base transfer tracks to a forward region of the feed shell near a surface where a rock bolt is to be installed;
the improvement comprising an off-cradle tool base immobilization system having:
a locking plunger;
a transfer base member fixably positioned with respect to the feed shell, said transfer base member having connected thereto a locking plunger support, said locking plunger slidably engaging said locking plunger support;
an indexing plate connected to the transfer slider, said indexing plate having plunger passages therein, each of said plunger passages being configured to accept said locking plunger and positioned with respect to the tool bases such that when one of the tool bases is positioned on the cradle providing the on-cradle tool base, a corresponding plunger passage will align with said locking plunger;
means for biasing said locking plunger such that said locking plunger will be advanced toward said indexing plate engaging said corresponding plunger passage as the cradle leaves the park position and advances the on-cradle tool base toward the forward region of the feed shell;
and
means for disengaging said locking plunger from said corresponding plunger passage responsive to the cradle entering the park position.

10 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.