Fluid conveyance system for industrial machine

Abstract

An industrial machine includes a frame supporting a boom, an elongated member movably coupled to the boom, an attachment, a conduit, and a reel supporting at least a portion of the conduit. The boom includes a first end coupled to the frame and a second end opposite the first end. The elongated member is movably coupled to the boom and includes a first end and a second end. The attachment is coupled to the second end of the elongated member. The conduit extends between the frame and the attachment. The reel is rotatably supported on a support shaft. The reel rotates about an axis of rotation to reel in and pay out the conduit as the elongated member moves relative to the boom.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A digging assembly for a rope shovel, the rope shovel including a frame supporting a fluid source, a boom coupled to the frame and including a first end and a second end, and a transverse drive shaft supported on the boom between the first end and the second end, the digging assembly comprising:
 a handle configured to be supported on the drive shaft for translational and rotational movement relative to the boom;   an attachment coupled to an end of the handle;   a conduit including a first portion, a second portion, and a fluid coupling, the first portion in fluid communication with a portion of the attachment, the second portion in fluid communication with the fluid source, the fluid coupling including a first end in fluid communication with the first portion of the conduit and a second end in fluid communication with the second portion of the conduit;   a first reel supporting the first portion of the conduit, the first reel supported on a support shaft for rotation about a first axis to reel in and pay out the first portion of conduit as the attachment moves relative to the boom; and   a second reel supporting the second portion of the conduit, the second reel supported for rotation to reel in and pay out the second portion of the conduit as the attachment moves relative to the boom.   
     
     
         2 . The digging assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first reel and the second reel are rotatably supported by the support shaft, the support shaft defining the first axis as a common axis of rotation for both the first reel and the second reel. 
     
     
         3 . The digging assembly of  claim 2 , wherein the fluid coupling is offset from the common axis of rotation. 
     
     
         4 . The digging assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first reel is larger than the second reel. 
     
     
         5 . The digging assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a gear transmission for transmitting torque from the drive shaft to the support shaft, the gear transmission including a pinion and at least one gear member, the pinion configured to be coupled to the drive shaft, the pinion driving the at least one gear member to rotate the support shaft at a predetermined speed relative to the drive shaft. 
     
     
         6 . The digging assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the first axis and the second axis are collinear. 
     
     
         7 . The digging assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the handle is extendable through a crowd distance, wherein the first reel includes a surface onto which the first portion of conduit is wrapped, the surface defining a perimeter of the first reel. 
     
     
         8 . The digging assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the handle engages the drive shaft such that rotation of the drive shaft drives the handle for movement relative to the boom. 
     
     
         9 . The digging assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the attachment includes a bucket pivotably coupled to the handle and a hydraulic actuator for pivoting the bucket relative to the handle, and wherein the first portion of the conduit is in fluid communication with the hydraulic actuator. 
     
     
         10 . The digging assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the second reel is coupled to the first reel, rotation of one of the first reel and the second reel causing rotation of the other of the first reel and the second reel. 
     
     
         11 . The digging assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the second reel reels in the second portion of the conduit concurrently with one of the first reel reeling in the first portion of the conduit and the first reel paying out the first portion of the conduit. 
     
     
         12 . The digging assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the second portion of the conduit is suspended between the second reel and the fluid source in a slack state. 
     
     
         13 . A fluid conveyance system for a rope shovel, the rope shovel including a frame supporting a fluid source and a boom, a drive shaft supported on the boom, a handle movably supported on the drive shaft for translational and rotational movement relative to the boom, and an digging attachment coupled to the handle and pivotable relative to the handle based on operation of a fluid actuator, the fluid conveyance system comprising:
 a conduit including a first portion, a second portion, and a fluid coupling, the first portion configured to be in fluid communication with fluid actuator, the second portion configured to be in fluid communication with the fluid source, the fluid coupling including a first end in fluid communication with the first portion of the conduit and a second end in fluid communication with the second portion of the conduit;   a support shaft;   a first reel supporting the first portion of the conduit, the first reel supported on the support shaft for rotation about a first axis to reel in and pay out the first portion of conduit as the attachment moves relative to the boom; and   a second reel supporting the second portion of the conduit, the second reel supported on for rotation about a second axis to reel in and pay out the second portion of the conduit as the attachment moves relative to the boom.   
     
     
         14 . The fluid conveyance system of  claim 13 , wherein both the first reel and the second reel are rotatably supported by the support shaft, wherein the first axis and the second axis are collinear, wherein the fluid coupling is offset from the common axis of rotation. 
     
     
         15 . The fluid conveyance system of  claim 13 , further comprising a gear transmission for transmitting torque from the drive shaft to the support shaft, the gear transmission including a pinion and at least one gear member, the pinion configured to be coupled to the drive shaft, the pinion driving the at least one gear member to rotate the support shaft at a predetermined speed relative to the drive shaft. 
     
     
         16 . The fluid conveyance system of  claim 13 , wherein the first reel includes a surface onto which the first portion of conduit is wrapped, the first reel defining a perimeter. 
     
     
         17 . The fluid conveyance system of  claim 13 , wherein rotation of one of the first reel and the second reel causes rotation of the other of the first reel and the second reel, wherein the second reel reels in the second portion of the conduit concurrently with one of the first reel reeling in the first portion of the conduit and the first reel paying out the first portion of the conduit. 
     
     
         18 . The fluid conveyance system of  claim 13 , wherein the second portion of the conduit is suspended between the second reel and the fluid source in a slack state.