Dragline Bucket Rigging System

Abstract

An assembly and method for using a flexible tensile member as part of the rigging for a dragline bucket. The tensile member includes a stranded core surrounded by one or more armoring layers or devices. The stranded core produces excellent strength in tension. The armor layer(s) provides a lower but still sufficient strength in compression. The compression strength is sufficient to eliminate plastic deformation of the core strands when the tensile member is bent around or dragged across an edge. The armor layer(s) also protects against battering, cutting, abrading, compression, and shearing forces. This resistance greatly reduces the likelihood of heavy items—such as the yoke, dump block, and spreader bar—damaging the tensile member when the bucket assembly is laid on the ground.

Having described my invention, I claim: 
     
         1 . A dragline bucket assembly, comprising:
 a. a bucket having a first lateral side and a second lateral side;   b. a spreader bar having a first end and a second end;   c. a first lower tensile member connecting said first lateral side of said bucket to said first end of said spreader bar;   d. a second lower tensile member connecting said second lateral side of said bucket to said second end of said spreader bar;   e. a yoke;   f. a first upper tensile member connecting said first end of said spreader bar to said yoke;   g. a second upper tensile member connecting said second end of said spreader bar to said yoke;   h. wherein said first upper tensile member includes,
 i. a flexible stranded core, having a critical bending radius 
 ii. an armor layer, 
 iii. a bend-limiting element; 
   i. wherein said second upper tensile member includes,
 i. a flexible stranded core, having a critical bending radius 
 ii. an armor layer, 
 iii. a bend-limiting element; 
   j. wherein said bend-limiting element in said first upper tensile member is sufficiently stiff to prevent said stranded core of said first upper tensile member being bent to a radius that is less than said critical bending radius during the operation of said dragline bucket assembly; and   k. wherein said bend-limiting element in said second upper tensile member is sufficiently stiff to prevent said stranded core of said second upper tensile member being bent to a radius that is less than said critical bending radius during the operation of said dragline bucket assembly   
     
     
         2 . A dragline bucket assembly as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said flexible core in each of said upper tensile members includes a plurality of synthetic strands, with a termination being attached to each end of said plurality of synthetic strands. 
     
     
         3 . A dragline bucket assembly as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said flexible core in each, of said upper tensile members includes a plurality of steel strands, with a termination being attached to each end of said plurality of steel strands. 
     
     
         4 . A dragline bucket assembly as recited in  claim 2 , wherein each of said terminations is connected to said spreader bar by a cross pin, with said cross pins limiting a rotation of said terminations. 
     
     
         5 . A dragline bucket assembly as recited in  claim 3 , wherein each of said terminations is connected to said spreader bar by a cross pin, with said cross pins limiting a rotation of said terminations. 
     
     
         6 . A dragline bucket assembly as recited in claim J, wherein said bend-limiting elements comprise a thick layer of high-density polymer surrounding said flexible stranded core. 
     
     
         7 . A dragline bucket assembly as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said bend-limiting elements comprise a leaf spring connected in parallel with at least one flexible stranded core. 
     
     
         8 . A dragline bucket assembly as recited in  claim 2 , wherein each upper tensile member further includes an articulation block. 
     
     
         9 . A dragline bucket assembly as recited in  claim 2 , wherein said articulation block comprises a length of chain. 
     
     
         10 . A dragline bucket assembly as recited in  claim 1 , wherein said dragline bucket assembly further comprises a biasing element connecting said first upper tensile member to said spreader bar. 
     
     
         11 . A dragline bucket assembly, comprising:
 a. a bucket having a first lateral side, a second lateral side, and a top rail;   b. a spreader bar having a first end and a second end;   c. a first lower tensile member connecting said first lateral side of said bucket to said first end of said spreader bar;   d. a second lower tensile member connecting said second lateral side of said bucket to said second end of said spreader bar;   e. a yoke;   f. a first upper tensile member connecting said first end of said spreader bar to said yoke;   g. a second upper tensile member connecting said second end of said spreader bar to said yoke;   h. wherein said first upper tensile member includes,
 i. a flexible stranded core, having a critical bend radius 
 ii. a bend-limiting element; 
   i. wherein said second upper tensile member includes,
 i. a flexible stranded core, having a critical bend radius 
 ii. a bend-limiting element; 
   j. wherein said bend-limiting element in said first upper tensile member is sufficiently stiff to prevent said stranded core of said first upper tensile member being bent to a radius that is less than said critical bending radius when said first upper tensile member is bent over said top rail of said bucket; and   k. wherein said bend-limiting element in said second upper tensile member is sufficiently stiff to prevent said stranded core of said second upper tensile member being bent to a radius that is less than said critical bending radius when said first upper tensile member is bent over said top rail of said bucket.   
     
     
         12 . A dragline bucket assembly as recited, in  claim 11 , wherein said flexible core in each of said upper tensile members includes a plurality of synthetic strands, with a termination being attached to each, end of said plurality of synthetic strands. 
     
     
         13 . A dragline bucket assembly as recited in  claim 11 , wherein said flexible core in each of said upper tensile members includes a plurality of steel strands, with a termination being attached to each end of said plurality of steel strands. 
     
     
         14 . A dragline bucket assembly as recited in  claim 12 , wherein each of said terminations is connected to said spreader bar by a cross pin, with said cross pins limiting a rotation of said terminations. 
     
     
         15 . A dragline bucket assembly as recited in  claim 13 , wherein each of said terminations is connected to said spreader bar by a cross pin, with said cross pins limiting a rotation of said terminations. 
     
     
         16 . A dragline bucket assembly as recited in  claim 11 , wherein said bend-limiting elements comprise a thick layer of high-density polymer surrounding said flexible stranded core. 
     
     
         17 . A dragline bucket assembly as recited in  claim 11 , wherein said bend-limiting elements comprise a leaf spring connected in parallel with at least one flexible stranded core. 
     
     
         18 . A dragline bucket assembly as recited in  claim 12 , wherein each upper tensile member further includes an articulation block. 
     
     
         19 . A dragline bucket assembly as recited in  claim 12 , wherein said articulation block comprises a length of chain. 
     
     
         20 . A dragline bucket assembly as recited in  claim 11 , wherein said dragline bucket assembly further comprises a biasing element connecting said first upper tensile member to said spreader bar.