Suspension and Guidance Apparatus for Tools and Platforms Relative to A Mill

Abstract

The present disclosure provides an apparatus for suspending and guiding at least one tool or work platform externally about a grinding mill, the apparatus including (a) a fixed track suspended above the grinding mill and extending about an outer periphery thereof in a plane substantially parallel to a surrounding floor of the mill, and, (b) at least one carriage assembly mounted to the track for suspending and guiding the at least one tool or work platform, the at least one carriage assembly configured to provide the at least one tool or work platform with at least two degrees of freedom, and wherein a first degree of freedom is linear movement along a first axis orthogonal to the surrounding floor of the mill.

1 . An apparatus for suspending and guiding at least one tool externally about a grinding mill, the apparatus including:
 (a) a fixed track suspended above the grinding mill and extending about an outer periphery thereof in a plane substantially parallel to a surrounding floor of the mill; and,   (b) at least one carriage assembly mounted to the track for suspending and guiding the at least one tool, the at least one carriage assembly configured to provide the at least one tool with at least two degrees of freedom, and wherein a first degree of freedom is linear movement along a first axis orthogonal to the surrounding floor of the mill.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein a second degree of freedom is linear movement along the track. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein five degrees of freedom are provided, further including:
 (a) a third degree of freedom being angular movement about the first axis;   (b) a fourth degree of freedom being angular movement about a second axis orthogonal to the first axis; and,   (c) a fifth degree of freedom being linear movement about a third axis orthogonal to both the first and second axes.   
     
     
         4 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is further configured to suspend and guide at least one platform and to provide the at least one platform with at least two degrees of freedom, and wherein a first degree of freedom provided to the at least one platform is linear movement along an axis orthogonal to the surrounding floor of the mill. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the second degree of freedom provided to the at least one platform is linear movement along the track. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein four degrees of freedom are provided to the at least one platform, further including:
 (a) a third degree of freedom being angular movement about the axis orthogonal to the surrounding floor of the mill; and,   (b) a fourth degree of freedom being linear movement parallel to the surrounding floor of the mill.   
     
     
         7 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the carriage assembly is a first carriage assembly that includes:
 (a) a first carriage moveably mounted to the track for linear movement therealong;   (b) a first post member supported by the first carriage and arranged to be orthogonal to the surrounding floor of the mill, at least a part of the post member moveable along the first axis orthogonal to the surrounding floor of the mill; and,   (c) a first tool carriage for carrying the at least one tool, the tool carriage mounted to the post member such that the tool carriage is provided with angular movement about the first axis and angular movement about a second axis orthogonal to the first axis, the tool carriage further including a linear slide mechanism allowing the at least one tool to be slidably received thereby allowing the at least one tool to move along a third axis orthogonal to both the first and second axes.   
     
     
         8 . The apparatus according to  claim 4 , wherein the apparatus includes a second carriage assembly for supporting the at least one platform, the second carriage assembly including:
 (a) a second carriage moveably mounted to the track for linear movement therealong;   (b) a second post member supported by the secondary carriage and arranged to be orthogonal to the surrounding floor of the mill, at least a part of the post member moveable along an axis orthogonal to the surrounding floor of the mill; and,   wherein, the at least one platform is mounted to a distal end of the second post member to allow angular movement about the axis orthogonal to the surrounding floor of the mill and linear movement orthogonal to the second post member.   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the at least one platform is supported by the first carriage assembly. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the first carriage assembly is moveably mounted to a first track and the second carriage assembly is moveably mounted to a second track, the second track parallel to the first track. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one tool is a linerbolt removal tool. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one platform is a work platform. 
     
     
         13 . An apparatus for suspending and guiding at least one linerbolt removal tool and at least one work platform externally about a grinding mill, the apparatus including:
 (a) a fixed track suspended above the grinding mill and extending about an outer periphery thereof in a plane substantially parallel to a surrounding floor of the mill;   (b) a first carriage assembly coupled to the track for supporting the at least one linerbolt removal tool, the first carriage assembly configured to provide the at least one linerbolt removal tool with at least two degrees of freedom, and wherein a first degree of freedom is linear movement along an axis orthogonal to the surrounding floor of the mill; and,   (c) a second carriage assembly coupled to the track for supporting the at least one work platform, the second carriage assembly configured to provide the at least one work platform with at least two degrees of freedom, and wherein a first degree of freedom is linear movement along an axis orthogonal to the surrounding floor of the mill.   
     
     
         14 . The apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein the at least one linerbolt removal tool is provided with five degrees of freedom and the at least one work platform is provided with four degrees of freedom. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein a third carriage assembly is provided for supporting a second linerbolt removal tool externally about the grinding mill. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein a fourth carriage assembly is provided for supporting a third linerbolt removal tool externally about the grinding mill. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus according to  claim 16 , wherein a fifth carriage assembly is provided for supporting a fourth linerbolt removal tool externally about the grinding mill. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus according to  claim 17 , wherein a sixth carriage assembly is provided for supporting a second work platform externally about the grinding mill.