Dipper handle assembly for a power shovel

Abstract

An improved yoke for a dipper handle assembly used on a power shovel is provided. The yoke is constructed at least in part of a transition portion and associated lugs that are manufactured of a forged material as opposed to castings. Accordingly, the yoke is less prone to failure and easy to repair in the field.

Description

[0001]This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 16 / 743,802, filed Jan. 15, 2020, now issued as U.S. Pat. No. 10,865,541 on Dec. 15, 2020, which in turn claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62 / 798,199, filed Jan. 29, 2019, both of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entireties.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]Embodiments of the present invention are generally concerned with dipper handle assemblies used by power shovels. More specifically, an improved dipper handle yoke is disclosed.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]Power shovels, which are also known as stripping shovels, front shovels, electric mining shovels, or rope shovels, are common in the mining industry. FIG. 1 shows an example of a power shovel 1 manufactured by Caterpillar® as their Model 7495. The dipper 2, i.e. the shovel, is supported at an upper and by cables 6 operatively interconnect to a boom assembly 10. The boom assembly 10 is configured to selectivel...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

The patent text describes an improved design for a yoke used in hydraulic and rope crowd power shovels. The yoke is made of forged components, which allows for better control of the grain structure and increased strength and fatigue resistance. The transition portion of the yoke is designed for increased bending loads and can be used with both hydraulic and rope crowd power shovels. The yoke also includes a forged insert that connects to the hydraulic cylinder, providing stiffness and resistance to fatigue. The plates and lugs are welded together, providing superior mechanical properties and increased fatigue life. Overall, this design improves the performance and durability of the yoke, reducing maintenance costs.

Problems solved by technology

Those of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate yoke transition portions are traditionally cast because they possess areas of varying thicknesses and of complex shapes, which makes the component difficult to forge.

Further, the above-described embodiments, aspects, objectives, and configurations are neither complete nor exhaustive.

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