Rigging Pin Locking Assembly Without Welded Retainers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pin and retainer systems for dragline bucket rigging equipment require welding for assembly and disassembly, which is labor-intensive and costly, and can damage components during the process.
Innovation Solution
A pinned connection assembly that includes a rigging pin with a retention groove and a locking pin with multi-directional locking grooves, secured by a lock, allowing for quick coupling and decoupling without welding, using a process involving insertion, compression, and rotation of the lock to engage the locking pin within the grooves.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If welding is used to assemble and disassemble pin and retainer systems, then connection strength is improved, but labor intensity and cost increase, and component damage risk increases
Solution Approach 1:
The locking mechanism is segmented into distinct components: a locking pin with grooves, a separate lock body, and a key. This segmentation allows the system to achieve strong connections through mechanical interlocking rather than welding, while enabling easy assembly and disassembly by simply inserting and rotating the key-operated lock component.
Solution Approach 2:
The lock body acts as an intermediary mechanism between the locking pin and the key. It translates the rotational motion of the key into linear motion that engages or disengages the locking pin from the grooves, providing a controlled mechanical interface that achieves strong locking without welding while maintaining ease of operation.
2Strength
If welding is used for assembly and disassembly, then connection strength is improved, but assembly time and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The locking pin is pre-configured with grooves that align with the lock body's movement path. The key-operated lock mechanism is pre-designed to automatically engage these grooves when activated, eliminating the need for time-consuming welding operations while maintaining strong connections through precise mechanical positioning.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking mechanism transitions from a static welded connection to a dynamic, reversible mechanical connection. The lock body can quickly move between locked and unlocked positions by rotating the key, enabling rapid assembly and disassembly while maintaining connection strength through controlled mechanical engagement.
3Strength
If welding is used for assembly and disassembly, then connection strength is improved, but component damage increases
Solution Approach 1:
The welding process is replaced with a purely mechanical locking system consisting of grooves, a lock body, and a key. This substitution eliminates the thermal and mechanical stresses associated with welding that can damage components, while achieving equivalent or superior connection strength through precision-machined mechanical interlocking features.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking pin's grooves are self-aligning features that automatically guide the lock body into the correct position during engagement. This self-aligning mechanism ensures proper positioning without requiring additional alignment tools or procedures, reducing the risk of misalignment damage while maintaining strong connections.
Data Source
AI summary
A pinned connection assembly includes a first rigging component, a second rigging component, a rigging pin, a locking pin, and a lock. The first rigging component has an end with at least one coupling aperture and at least one retention aperture that is transverse to the coupling aperture. The second rigging component has an end with at least one coupling aperture. The rigging pin has an end with a retention groove. The rigging pin is inserted through the coupling apertures of the first and second rigging components. The locking pin has an end with a locking groove. The locking pin is inserted through the retention aperture and the retention groove. The locking groove has guide, transitional, and locking portions for engaging a key of the lock.