Mining Vehicle Swing Gear Support Rail Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Mining shovel swing gear assemblies experience wear and efficiency reduction due to radial thrust loads causing rollers and thrust rails to move outward, leading to stretching or breaking of fasteners and bending moments on the swing gear, necessitating frequent replacements.
Innovation Solution
A support rail system is introduced with a horizontal and vertical surface configuration that couples to the swing gear and thrust rail, inhibiting rotation and radial movement of the thrust rail relative to the swing gear, thereby counteracting thrust loads and preventing bending moments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the thrust rail extends above the inner surface of the swing gear to retain rollers, then the rollers are retained in desired position, but a bending moment is created on the top portion of the inner surface of the swing gear
Solution Approach 1:
A support rail is introduced as an intermediary component between the thrust rail and the swing gear. The support rail has a horizontal surface that contacts the top face of the swing gear and a vertical surface that contacts the vertical face of the thrust rail, thereby mediating the force transmission and preventing the thrust rail from creating bending moments on the swing gear.
Solution Approach 2:
The support rail adds a new dimensional element by extending horizontally from the swing gear to contact the thrust rail. This horizontal dimension allows the support rail to intercept the radial thrust forces before they can create bending moments on the swing gear, effectively redistributing the forces in a different spatial dimension.
2Reliability
If fasteners are used to couple thrust rail components, then components are retained together, but fasteners are stretched or broken under radial thrust loads
Solution Approach 1:
The support rail acts as a mediator that intercepts radial thrust loads before they are transmitted to the fasteners. By providing an additional load path through its vertical surface contacting the thrust rail, the support rail reduces the burden on fasteners, preventing them from being stretched or broken under operational loads.
3Ease of operation
If rollers are subjected to pressure load from upper frame weight, then rollers facilitate rotation, but rollers and thrust rail are biased radially outward causing wear
Solution Approach 1:
The support rail serves as a mediator that provides additional support to counteract the radial outward biasing force on rollers and thrust rail. By contacting both the swing gear and thrust rail, the support rail helps maintain proper component positioning and reduces wear caused by radial thrust loads during rotation operations.
Data Source
AI summary
A support rail for a swing gear assembly having a thrust rail coupled to a swing gear includes a substantially horizontal first surface configured to be coupled to the swing gear such that the first surface engages a substantially horizontal top face of the swing gear, and a substantially vertical second surface intersecting the substantially horizontal first surface such that the second surface is substantially perpendicular to the first surface. The second surface is configured to engage a substantially vertical face of the thrust rail when the first surface is coupled to the swing gear. The first surface and the second surface are configured to inhibit a rotation of the thrust rail relative to the swing gear by engaging the top face of the swing gear and the vertical face of the thrust rail simultaneously.