Adjustable Rock Knocker Bracket for Variable Tire Spacing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing rock knocker brackets for trucks are difficult to install and adjust, leading to high costs and safety issues due to their inflexible design, which does not accommodate variations in tire spacing or rim sizes, and often requires on-site welding, posing challenges during tire changes and maintenance.
Innovation Solution
An adjustable rock knocker mounting bracket with a laterally mounted pin and sliding bar retainers allows for easy repositioning of the rock ejector, enabling precise placement between tires without the need for on-site welding, facilitating factory installation and accommodating different tire configurations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If rock knocker brackets are installed by welding in the field, then the rock ejector can be securely mounted, but installation costs increase and safety issues arise due to on-site welding requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The bracket is divided into separate components (mounting bracket, rock knocker bar, and adjustable mechanism) that can be assembled in the field without welding. The mounting bracket attaches to the truck body via bolts, and the rock knocker bar is separately mounted with adjustment capability, eliminating the need for on-site welding while maintaining secure mounting.
Solution Approach 2:
The bracket components are pre-fabricated and prepared at the factory with all necessary mounting holes, fasteners, and adjustment mechanisms already in place. This preliminary preparation allows for simple bolt-on installation in the field rather than requiring complex welding operations on-site.
2Ease of operation
If the rock knocker bar placement is done in the field by luck, then installation is simple, but precise positioning between tires cannot be achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The rock knocker bar is mounted on an adjustable mechanism that allows it to be moved laterally along the bracket. This dynamic adjustment capability enables precise positioning between the tires in the field by simply sliding the bar to the correct location and securing it with a locking mechanism, rather than relying on luck or complex positioning procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
An intermediary adjustment mechanism is introduced between the fixed bracket and the rock knocker bar. This mechanism serves as a mediator that translates simple field operations (sliding and locking) into precise positioning, bridging the gap between installation simplicity and positioning accuracy.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the bracket is cut and re-welded to change the lateral location of the rock knocker bar, then repositioning is possible, but significant expenses are incurred
Solution Approach 1:
The rock knocker bar is mounted on an adjustable mechanism that allows it to be moved laterally along the bracket. This dynamic adjustment capability enables precise positioning between the tires in the field by simply sliding the bar to the correct location and securing it with a locking mechanism, rather than relying on luck or complex positioning procedures.
4Device complexity
If the rock knocker bar is fixed in position, then the bracket structure is simple, but it cannot accommodate variations in tire spacing or rim sizes
Solution Approach 1:
The rock knocker bar is mounted on an adjustable mechanism that allows it to be moved laterally along the bracket. This dynamic adjustment capability enables precise positioning between the tires in the field by simply sliding the bar to the correct location and securing it with a locking mechanism, rather than relying on luck or complex positioning procedures.
Data Source
AI summary
A rock knocker bracket holds a rock ejector such as a chain or bar that is used to clear debris from the gap between two tires of a mining vehicle. The rock ejector is pivotally mounted on a horizontal, lateral pin that is held at both ends by side plates of the bracket. The pin has a series of holes formed along its length. Bar retainers and washers mounted on the pin allow the rock ejector to be moved laterally along the pin and thereby provide for different laterally spacing configurations of the tires. Fasteners pass through holes in the bar retainers and the holes in the pin to hold the rock ejector at a predetermined lateral location along the pin. Alternative designs for the pin and the bracket include other systems for laterally moving the rock ejector and mounting it in the predetermined lateral position.