Apparatus and method for reducing required torque
AssigneeSandvik Mining and Construction Australia Pty Ltd
InventorKeith Littlely
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of reducing the torque required to provide relative rotation of two connected members includes providing impacts at or adjacent the connection between the two members at a rate of at least two impacts per second. An apparatus for reducing the torque required to provide relative rotation of two connected members includes an impact member adapted to provide an impact to at least one of the connected members, a driver for driving the impact member, wherein the driver is operable to cause the impact member to automatically and repeatedly impact upon the at least one member.
Claims28
Apparatus for reducing the torque required to provide relative rotation of two connected members, at least a first connected member of said two connected members having a generally cylindrical portion with a central axis about which it is adapted to rotate relative to the other connected member, said cylindrical portion including a wall portion having a generally cylindrical surface, and said first connected member having at least one associated radially extending axis, being an axis extending through a point on the generally cylindrical surface and intersecting said central axis and, the apparatus comprising:
- an impact member adapted to provide impacts to the first connected member;
- a locating mechanism for locating the apparatus in a predetermined deployment relative to said first connected member;
- a driving mechanism, operatively connected to the impact member, for driving the impact member, said driving mechanism being operable to cause the impact member to automatically and repeatedly provide impacts upon said first connected member;
- and
- wherein the driving mechanism drives the impact member so that immediately prior to provision of the impact the impact member moves towards the central axis of said first connected member on and along said radially extending axis.
A method of reducing the torque required to provide relative rotation of two connected members, at least a first connected member of said two connected members having a generally cylindrical portion with a central axis about which it is adapted to rotate relative to the other connected member, said cylindrical portion including a wall portion having a generally cylindrical surface, and said first connected member having at least one associated radially extending axis, being an axis extending through a point on the generally cylindrical surface and intersecting said central axis, said method comprising the step of:
- providing impacts to said first connected member, by operation of a mechanical driving system, at or adjacent a connection between the two connected members, at a rate of at least two impacts per second, wherein the impacts are provided by an impact member which, immediately prior to the provision of the impact, moves on and along said radially extending axis.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.