Abrasion protected mining rope

Abstract

A protected surface mining or hoist rope for an electric dipper shovel is provided. The protected surface mining or hoist rope can include a base rope portion and one or more armoring shield segments applied to the base rope portion. The armoring shield segments can be spaced apart along the length of the protected surface mining or hoist rope to provide additional protection at high-impact or abrasion areas of the rope.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A surface hoist rope connected to a d-block or padlock sheave area of a dipper bucket, surface hoist rope comprising:
 a base rope portion; and   at least one armoring shield segment provided on the base rope portion;   wherein the at least one armoring shield segment is located at a first portion of the surface hoist rope extending upwardly from the dipper bucket and configured to protect the first portion of the surface hoist rope from damage;   wherein the at least one armoring shield segment extends less than the entire length of the surface hoist rope.   
     
     
         2 . The surface hoist rope of  claim 1 , wherein the armoring shield segment is made of a rubber material. 
     
     
         3 . The surface hoist rope of  claim 1 , further comprising a second portion of the surface hoist rope, wherein the at least one armoring shield segment comprises a first armoring shield segment and a second armoring shield segment, wherein the first armoring shield segment is applied to the first portion and the second armoring shield segment is applied to the second portion. 
     
     
         4 . The surface hoist rope of  claim 3 , wherein the second armoring shield segment is spaced apart from the first armoring shield segment along a length of the surface hoist rope. 
     
     
         5 . The surface hoist rope of  claim 3 , wherein the first armoring shield segment and the second armoring shield segment are offset from a midpoint of the surface hoist rope. 
     
     
         6 . The surface hoist rope of  claim 5 , wherein the first armoring shield segment and the second armoring shield segment are offset from the midpoint by at least twenty-four inches. 
     
     
         7 . The surface hoist rope of  claim 5 , wherein an unprotected portion of the surface hoist rope is formed between the first armoring shield segment and the second armoring shield segment, and wherein the unprotected portion is at least forty-eight inches in length. 
     
     
         8 . The surface hoist rope of  claim 1 , wherein the armoring shield segment has an inside diameter of approximately 2⅝ inches and an outside diameter of approximately 3 inches. 
     
     
         9 . A surface hoist rope for use on an electric rope shovel having a dipper bucket, the surface hoist rope comprising:
 an unprotected segment configured for engagement with a d-block or padlock sheave of the dipper bucket;   first and second protected segments provided on each side of the unprotected segment, wherein the first and second protected segments of the surface hoist rope are immediately adjacent the d-block when the surface hoist rope is in use on the electric rope shovel; and   wherein the first and second protected segments each comprise an armoring shield segment applied onto the surface hoist rope.   
     
     
         10 . The surface hoist rope of  claim 9 , wherein each of the armoring shield segments comprises a rubber-based material. 
     
     
         11 . The surface hoist rope of  claim 9 , wherein the unprotected segment is at least forty-eight inches in length. 
     
     
         12 . The surface hoist rope of  claim 9 , further comprising a midpoint of the surface hoist rope, wherein each of the armoring shield segments is offset from the midpoint by at least twenty-four inches. 
     
     
         13 . The surface hoist rope of  claim 9 , wherein the surface hoist rope at each of the armoring shield segments has a diameter of approximately between 2½ inches and 3⅜ inches. 
     
     
         14 . The surface hoist rope of  claim 9 , wherein each of the armoring shield segments comprises an interior portion constructed from a rubberized material and an exterior portion constructed from a synthetic fiber outside. 
     
     
         15 . The surface hoist rope of  claim 9 , wherein each of the armoring shield segments is configured to protect the first and second protected segments from damage. 
     
     
         16 . The surface hoist rope of  claim 9 , where each of the armoring shield segments provide abrasion resistance and vibration dampening to the surface hoist rope. 
     
     
         17 . A surface hoist rope for use on a d-block or padlock sheave of an electric rope shovel, the surface hoist rope comprising:
 a base mining rope comprising:
 an inner cable core comprising a plurality of cable strands; 
 a plurality of armor wire strands wrapped around the inner cable core; and 
 an outer jacket layer extruded around the plurality of armor wire strands; 
   a first armoring shield segment provided around the outer jacket layer of the base mining rope along a first protected portion; and   a second armoring shield segment provided around the outer jacket layer of the base mining rope along a second protected portion;   wherein the first and second protection portions collectively comprise less than an entire length of the surface hoist rope to form an unprotected portion between the first and second armoring shield segments, and wherein the unprotected portion comprises only the base mining rope.   
     
     
         18 . The surface hoist rope of  claim 17 , wherein the first armoring shield segment and the second armoring shield segment each comprise an interior portion and an exterior portion. 
     
     
         19 . The surface hoist rope of  claim 18 , wherein the interior portion comprises a rubberized material and the exterior portion comprises a synthetic fiber material. 
     
     
         20 . The surface hoist rope of  claim 17 , wherein the first and second armoring shield segments are chemically bonded to the outer jacket layer of the base mining rope.