Bucket for cable shovel

Abstract

A bucket for use with a cable shovel includes a shell and a door collectively defining a cavity for gathering material to be excavated. The door is pivotally secured about a pivot axis on the shell so that the door can pivot between a closed position for gathering the material and an open position for dumping the material. The pivot axis is positioned forward of an exterior surface of a back wall of the shell to create a shallower and less forceful door swing during dumping. The door has a front portion that is bent towards a digging edge on the shell so that the door has greater strength, improves bucket loading, and moves a portion of the shell away from the highest wear area.

1 . A cable shovel bucket comprising a front wall, an opposite back wall, sidewalls extending between the front wall and the back wall and a door collectively defining a cavity for gathering material during operation of the cable shovel, the door being pivotally secured for gravity activated movement between an open position and a closed position about a pivot axis that extends through the side walls between the back wall of the cavity and the front wall. 
     
     
         2 . The cable shovel bucket in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the door is pivotally secured to the sidewalls by a pair of hinge members each connected to the door and pivotally secured to the sidewalls. 
     
     
         3 . The cable shovel bucket in accordance with  claim 2  wherein each said hinge member is generally linear between the door and the pivot axis. 
     
     
         4 . The cable shovel bucket in accordance with  claim 2  wherein each said hinge member includes a support portion that extends across a portion of the door and a mount portion that is pivotally secured to the sidewalls. 
     
     
         5 . The cable shovel bucket in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the bucket includes a front end and a rear end with supports to attach the bucket to the cable shovel, the front end having a digging edge to contact the ground in a digging operation and a heel, and wherein the door includes a front portion proximate the front end and a rear portion proximate the rear end, and the front portion of the door is bent forwardly toward the heel to abut a complementary shaped front end of the bucket when the door is closed. 
     
     
         6 . The cable shovel bucket in accordance with  claim 5  wherein the front portion of the door is curved forwardly at the heel. 
     
     
         7 . The cable shovel bucket in accordance with  claim 1  wherein the door is held against the front wall with a restraint for gathering the material to be excavated, and an open position where the restraint retracts and the door disengages from the front wall to dump the material to be excavated. 
     
     
         8 . The cable shovel bucket according to  claim 7  wherein the restraint is a releasable latch. 
     
     
         9 . The cable shovel bucket according to  claim 8  wherein the releasable latch secures the door to at least one of the sides of the bucket. 
     
     
         10 . The cable shovel bucket according to  claim 7  wherein the restraint is a rod and brake. 
     
     
         11 . The cable shovel bucket according to  claim 7  wherein the restraint is a hydraulic circuit. 
     
     
         12 . The cable shovel bucket according to  claim 1  wherein a flap is located along a rear portion of the bucket between the back wall and the door, the flap is coupled to the bucket with a hinge so that an edge of the flap sets along a rear end of the interior surface of the door when the door is in the closed position and pivots away from the cavity when the door is in the open position. 
     
     
         13 . A cable shovel bucket comprising a shell including a front end having a digging edge and a rear end having supports to secure the bucket to the cable shovel, and a door pivotally secured to the shell for movement between an open position and a closed position, wherein the shell and the door when closed collectively define a cavity for gathering material during operation of the cable shovel, the gravity actuated door has a front portion proximate the front end of the shell and a rear portion proximate the rear end of the shell, and the front portion of the door is curved toward the digging edge to abut a complementary shaped shell when the door is closed. 
     
     
         14 . The cable shovel bucket in accordance with  claim 13  wherein a restraint holds the door against the shell in the closed position and the restraint disengages the door from the shell in the open position. 
     
     
         15 . The cable shovel bucket in accordance with  claim 14  wherein the restraint is a releasable latch. 
     
     
         16 . The cable shovel bucket according to  claim 15  wherein the releasable latch secures the door to at least one of the sides of the bucket. 
     
     
         17 . The cable shovel bucket according to  claim 14  wherein the restraint is a rod and brake. 
     
     
         18 . The cable shovel bucket according to  claim 14  wherein the restraint is a hydraulic circuit. 
     
     
         19 . The cable shovel bucket according to  claim 13  wherein the pivot connection has hinge members that are generally linear. 
     
     
         20 . The cable shovel bucket according  claim 13  wherein a flap is located along the rear portion of the bucket between the back wall and the door, the flap is coupled to the bucket with a hinge so that an edge of the flap sets along a rear end of the interior surface of the door when the door is in the closed position and pivots away from the cavity when the door is in the open position.