Rack bar haulage system with an improved rackbar to line pan connection

Abstract

A disclosed rack bar system utilizes a forged or cast clog with integral lugs that accept a retainer plate. The plain rack bar pins cannot pass fully through the clog and are held in place by a plate retainer. The retainer is simply secured by a spring pin, or is held in place by gravity.

1 . A rack bar haulage system forming part of a drive system for moving the mining machine along a conveyor, said rack bar haulage system including a plurality of rack bars, each having spaced apart gear teeth extending between cheek sections at opposite sides of the rack bar, and a downward extension,
 a clog having a width corresponding to the width of the downward extension, and the clog defining a cavity for engaging and providing support for the rack bar by receiving the downward extension, the cavity being defined by two spaced apart bracket sidewalls, and end walls connecting the sidewalls, openings through the sidewalls, a pin being insertable through one sidewall opening and being received in the other sidewall opening, the other sidewall opening being smaller than the end of the pin, and the other sidewall opening forming a pocket that receives the end of the pin, the other sidewall opening not permitting the pin to pass through the other sidewall opening.   
     
     
         2 . A rack bar haulage system in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the lugs include a pin for retaining the plates within the lugs. 
     
     
         3 . A rack bar haulage system forming part of a drive system for moving the mining machine along a conveyor, said rack bar haulage system including a plurality of rack bars, each having spaced apart gear teeth extending between cheek sections at opposite sides of the rack bar, and a downward extension,
 a clog having a width corresponding to the width of the downward extension, and the clog defining a cavity for engaging and providing support for the rack bar by receiving the downward extension, the cavity being defined by two spaced apart bracket sidewalls, and end walls connecting the sidewalls, openings through the sidewalls, a pin being insertable through one sidewall opening and being received in the other sidewall opening, the other sidewall opening being smaller than the end of the pin, and the other sidewall opening forming a pocket that receives the end of the pin, the other sidewall opening not permitting the pin to pass through the other sidewall opening, the clog further including   means for receiving a plate for retaining the pin within the first sidewall opening, the means for retaining the plate comprising spaced apart lugs attached to one side of the one sidewall, the lugs including opposed slots that receive the ends of the plate.   
     
     
         4 . A rack bar haulage system in accordance with  claim 3  wherein the lugs include a pin for retaining the plates within the lugs.