Protection systems
A protection system includes a mount configured for attachment to a wear panel, a wear pad, and a locking member. The mount and wear pad have complementary engagement structures configured to enable relative sliding movement between the mount and the wear pad from a release position to an engaged position. The mount and the wear pad each have an opening or recess therein adapted to receive the locking member, which prevents sliding movement of the wear pad relative to the mount. The mount and the locking member each have at least one passage arranged to receive therein one or more bolts, which secure the locking member to the mount.
1 . A protection system including:
a planar or substantially planar mount adapted to be fixed to a planar or substantially planar surface of a wear panel of equipment or machinery, said mount having a lower face adapted to conform to and rest against the planar or substantially planar surface of the wear panel to be protected and an upper face spaced from said lower face;
a planar or substantially planar wear pad having a lower face adapted to be releasably mounted to the upper face of said mount to protect said wear panel against wear, the wear pad having an upper face spaced from the lower face of the wear pad and configured to bear against ore or spoil to be moved;
a locking member adapted to releasably lock said wear pad to said mount;
said mount and said wear pad having complementary fixed engagement means adapted to allow relative sliding movement between said mount and said wear pad from a release position in which said wear pad rests against said mount and can be pushed along said mount in one direction to a secured position or in an opposite direction to the release position in which the wear pad can be lifted from said mount;
said mount and said wear pad each having an opening or recess extending respectively through the lower and upper faces of the mount and the wear pad and adapted to receive said locking member at least partially therein, said opening or recess in each being arranged to at least partially align when said mount and said wear pad are in an engaged position such that said locking member extends from said opening or recess in said wear pad into said opening or recess in said mount so as to prevent sliding movement of said wear pad relative to said mount at least towards the release position;
said mount further having at least one passage extending from said lower face into said opening or recess in said mount and adapted to slidably receive therein one or more bolts;
said at least one passage in said mount having a narrow end portion and a larger portion contiguous with said narrow end portion, said narrow end portion being selected to slidably receive therein a respective shank of the one or more bolts for lateral movement thereof relative to the narrow end portion and the larger portion being selected to axially receive a respective head of the one or more bolts therethrough, wherein each of the one or more bolts is selectively fitted to the mount from above by pushing each respective head of the one or more bolts through the larger portion and then sliding each respective shank of the one or more bolts laterally into the narrow end portion where each respective head of the one or more bolts engages the lower face of the narrow end portion adjacent the at least one passage and the one or more bolts are retained in a non-rotatable state by the narrow end portion of the at least one passage;
said locking member also including at least one passage, said at least one passage being aligned with said at least one passage in said mount such that the one or more bolts extending through said at least one passage in said mount also extend through said at least one passage in said locking member; and
wherein the one or more bolts extending through said at least one passage in said mount and said at least one passage in said locking member are arranged substantially perpendicular to said lower and upper faces of said mount to at least in part secure said locking member to said planar or substantially planar mount.
2 . A mount for a protection system, said mount including:
a first portion having a longitudinal axis and a lower face adapted to rest against a face of a wear panel to be protected and an upper face spaced from said lower face;
one or more fixed protuberances extending outwardly in a lateral direction from the longitudinal axis of said first portion and on opposite sides thereof, each of said one or more fixed protuberances having a face which is inclined upwards and outwards from said lower face and extends towards one end of said first portion and terminates at said upper face; and
said first portion having an opening or recess extending therein from said upper face and at least one passage extending from said lower face into said opening or recess, said at least one passage having a narrow end portion and a larger portion contiguous with said narrow end portion, said narrow end portion being selected to slidably receive therein a shank of a bolt and/or a locking portion of a head of a bolt for lateral movement thereof relative to the first portion and the larger portion being selected to axially receive the head of the bolt therethrough, wherein the bolt is selectively fitted to the mount from above by pushing the head of the bolt through the larger portion and then sliding the shank and/or locking portion of the bolt laterally into the narrow end portion where the head of the bolt engages the lower face of the first portion adjacent the at least one passage and the bolt is retained in a non-rotatable state by the narrow end portion of the at least one passage.
3 . The protection system according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one passage extending from said lower face into said opening or recess includes a portion adapted to receive therein a head of each of the one or more bolts, a depth of such portion being selected so that the head of each of the one or more bolts does not protrude beyond the lower face of the mount.
4 . The protection system according to claim 1 , wherein the one or more bolts selected are one or more plow bolts and a head portion of the recess is shaped to suit a size and shape of the head portion of each of the one or more plow bolts.
5 . The protection system according to claim 1 , wherein said at least one passage in said mount is a single passage having narrow end portions and a larger intermediate portion, the narrow end portions being selected to slidably receive a shank of the one or more bolts or a locking portion of a corresponding head of the one or more bolts for lateral movement and the larger intermediate portion being selected to axially receive the corresponding head of the one or more bolts, wherein each of the one or more bolts is selectively fitted to the mount from above by pushing each corresponding head through the larger intermediate portion and then sliding each of the one or more bolts laterally towards either end portion where the corresponding head of the one or more bolts then engages the lower face of the mount adjacent the single passage.
6 . The protection system according to claim 5 , wherein a width of the narrow end portions is selected to engage with a square locking portion of the one or more bolts or the corresponding head of the one or more bolts to prevent the one or more bolts from turning relative to the single passage.
7 . The protection system according to claim 5 , wherein a depth of a head portion of the recess is selected to ensure that the locking portion of each corresponding head of the one or more bolts is retained in the narrow end portions so that a nut can be screwed onto each of the one or more bolts without rotation of the one or more bolts.
8 . The protection system according to claim 1 , wherein the mount has one or more openings extending therethrough to provide suitable locations for welding the mount to the wear panel to be protected.
9 . The protection system according to claim 8 , wherein the mount has at least two openings extending laterally across the mount, one being wherein a first opening is positioned near one end of the mount and a second opening is positioned near an opposite end of the mount.
10 . The protection system according to claim 1 , wherein said complementary fixed engagement means includes a tapered portion or portions and a complementary tapered recess or recesses, the tapered portion or portions and the complementary tapered recess or recesses being arranged to force the wear pad into closer face-to-face engagement with the mount as the wear pad is pushed along said mount in said one direction.
11 . The protection system according to claim 1 , wherein the complementary fixed engagement means include tapered portions arranged to tighten the wear pad onto the mount against lateral movement and twisting and pivoting movement as the wear pad is pushed from the release position to the secured position.
12 . The protection system according to claim 1 , wherein the complementary fixed engagement means includes a tapered portion or portions and complementary tapered recess or recesses, the tapered portion or portions and complementary tapered recess or recesses being arranged to force the wear pad into closer face-to-face engagement with the mount and to tighten the wear pad onto the mount against lateral movement and twisting and pivoting movement as the wear pad is pushed from the release position to the secured position.
13 . The protection system according to claim 1 , wherein said mount includes a first portion having a lower face adapted to rest against a face of the wear panel to be protected and at least two protuberances extending from each side of said first portion, said at least two protuberances on each side being spaced apart in a direction from end to end.
14 . The protection system according to claim 13 , wherein at least two protuberances extending from each side of the first portion of the mount includes three protuberances extending from each side of said first portion, the three protuberances being arranged in pairs, one protuberance of each pair being directly opposite a corresponding one protuberance on an opposing side of said first portion.
15 . The protection system according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one passage in said locking member includes a portion adapted to receive therein a corresponding nut of the one or more bolts, such portion being sufficient to accommodate a suitable spanner or socket for tightening or loosening the corresponding nut.
16 . The protection system according to claim 1 , wherein the locking member has recesses in each end and/or each side for engagement by a tool for removing the wear pad from the mount.
17 . The protection system according to claim 1 , wherein the locking member has a threaded jacking passage therein.
18 . A wear pad for a protection system, the wear pad including:
a wear portion having an upper face adapted to bear against ore or spoil to be moved and a lower face spaced from said upper face and adapted to rest on a mount secured to a wear panel to be protected, said wear portion having a passage extending therethrough from said upper face to said lower face, said passage being dimensioned to receive a locking member wholly therein, said upper face being defined at least in part by an outer portion extending substantially about said passage;
two spaced-apart side portions extending or depending from said wear portion on opposite sides of said lower face to define a space therebetween and one or more fixed protuberances extending from each of said two spaced-apart side portions and projecting into the space therebetween towards an opposite one of the two spaced-apart side portions and spaced from said lower face, each of said one or more fixed protuberances having a face which is inclined in a downwards and inwards direction away from said lower face and extends towards one end of said wear portion, said one or more fixed protuberances being spaced laterally away from said passage, and the inclined faces being arranged so as to tighten the wear pad onto the mount against movement along the mount and sidewards of the mount when fitted thereto; and
wherein the upper face of the wear portion includes a raised perimeter portion, a raised interior portion extending at least substantially about a perimeter of the passage, and a channel or valley portion formed between said raised perimeter portion and the raised interior portion, said raised perimeter portion and the channel or valley portion extending at least substantially about said passage, and wherein said raised perimeter portion has a height extending in a direction normal to the lower face of said wear pad that is greater than heights of said channel or valley portion and said raised interior portion extending at least substantially about the passage.
19 . The wear pad according to claim 18 , wherein said wear pad includes a wear indicator which indicates when the wear pad has worn to a predetermined state, and wherein said wear indicator includes at least one blind passage in each of said two spaced-apart side portions, said at least one blind passage includes a smaller portion indicating a first predetermined wear state and a larger portion indicating a second predetermined wear state.