Torque control device for rotary mine drilling machine

In an apparatus for a rotary mine drilling machine for drilling a hole with a drill shaft means, the apparatus including a torque control device for absorbing the shock and torque between a drive shaft means and a driven shaft means of the rotary mine drilling machine, said torque control device comprising:

• drive plate means connectable to the drive shaft means, said drive plate means rotating in response to the rotation of the drive shaft means and having at least one outwardly extending flange;
• a driven plate means connectable to the driven shaft means;
• a center portion fastened to said drive plate means and fastened to said driven plate means to couple said drive plate means and said driven plate means, said center portion including deformable shock, vibration and torque-absorbing means, said deformable shock, vibration and torque-absorbing means transmitting force loads and torque loads between said drive plate means and said driven plate means;
• and
• at least one torque-relief means connected to and extending from said driven plate means, said torque-relief means being engageable with said at least one outwardly extending flange of said drive plate means to relieve the torque loads on said deformable shock, vibration and torque-absorbing means, in response to a predetermined torque load placed on said deformable shock, vibration and torque-absorbing means, said predetermined torque load being selected to avoid torque-related damage from heavy loads;
• wherein the drive shaft means is upwardly movable to lift a drill bit from the hole being drilled, said upward movement lifting said drive plate means and putting tension on said deformable shock, vibration and torque-absorbing means, and wherein said apparatus further includes a tensile-force relief means connected to said driven plate means, said tensile-force relief means being spaced from said drive plate means and located in the path of movement of said drive plate means as said drive plate means is lifted by the drive shaft means by a distance for blocking continued movement of said drive plate means to prevent further lifting of said drive plate means when said drive plate means engages said shock, vibration and torque-absorbing means, to avoid damage from the tension on said shock, vibration and torque absorbing means.

A device for reducing the deleterious torque load on a drive shaft and components of a rotary drilling machine used in mining, the drive shaft moving in a rotational direction and in a longitudinal direction, said device comprising:

• drive means connectable to the drive shaft of the rotary drilling machine, said drive means rotating in response to the rotation of the drive shaft for transmitting the rotation of the drive shaft;
• driven means connectable to the driven shaft rotated by said drive means, wherein said drive means moves longitudinally away from said driven means in response to the movement of the drive shaft away from the driven shaft in a longitudinal direction;
• tensile-force relief means located in the direction of longitudinal movement of said drive means away from said driven means;
• a portion fastened to said drive means and fastened to said driven means, said portion including a deformable, torque-absorbing member, said deformable, torque-absorbing member transmitting torque load and force load between said drive means and said driven means;
• at least one first engagement means operatively connected to said drive means;
• at least one second engagement means connected to said driven means, wherein said first engagement means contacts said second engagement means and said drive means, and relieves the torque on said torque-absorbing member and directly drives said driven means in response to a predetermined amount of torque being applied to said driven means, said predetermined amount of torque being selected to avoid torque-related damage to said deformable, torque absorbing member from heavy loads;
• wherein said drive plate means places said deformable, torque absorbing member in tension when the drive shaft moves longitudinally away from said driven means, and wherein said drive means contacts said tensile-force relief means and is restrained by said tensile-force relief means from further movement longitudinally away from said driven means, said predetermined lifting force being selected to avoid further tension being placed on said deformable, torque absorbing member.