Dragline bucket for moving slurry-type material

Abstract

A dragline bucket having a lip for moving slurry-type material, a lip for a dragline bucket, a retrofit kit for a dragline bucket and associated methods are described.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A dragline bucket comprising:
 a basket having a front ring, a rear wall, a first sidewall, a second sidewall, and a basket floor, wherein the first sidewall and the second sidewall each include a trunnion;   a first additional side wall and a second additional side wall extending from a top rail of the basket toward a rear end of the basket at a first angle; and   an additional rear wall portion at the rear end of the basket joining the first additional side wall and the second additional side wall, wherein the additional rear wall portion slopes forward at a second angle relative to the basket floor.   
     
     
         2 . The dragline bucket of  claim 1 , wherein the first additional side wall and the second additional side wall slope upwards from the top rail starting at points approximately above respective trunnions and extend upwards at an angle approximately between 20° and 40° relative to the floor towards the rear wall. 
     
     
         3 . The dragline bucket of  claim 1 , wherein the rear wall follows a first plane, and the additional rear wall portion follows a second plane different than the first plane, and wherein the additional rear wall portion slopes forward toward the front ring at an angle of approximately 45° to 60° relative to the floor so as to clear a rigging spreader bar. 
     
     
         4 . The dragline bucket of  claim 3 , wherein the first side wall and the second side wall follow a third plane and the first additional side wall, and the second additional side wall follow fourth and fifth planes, respectively, wherein the fourth and fifth planes are different than the third plane, and wherein reach of the fourth and fifth planes are inclined inward towards a longitudinal center plane of the basket at an angle of approximately 50° to 80° relative to the floor. 
     
     
         5 . The dragline bucket of  claim 1 , wherein the front ring includes an angled lip, and wherein a sludge line of the dragline bucket is defined by a plane containing the first angle of the first and second additional side wall portions and the angled lip, and wherein the sludge line forms a level line of slurry-type material inside the basket when the dragline bucket is oriented at a given angle relative to horizontal and with the angled lip being at a same vertical height as a rear edge of the additional side and rear wall portions of the basket. 
     
     
         6 . A lip for a dragline bucket, the lip comprising:
 a first side wall having a top edge angled relative to a horizontal plane including a bottom edge of the first side wall;   a second side wall having a top edge angled relative to a horizontal plane including a bottom edge of the second side wall; and   a rear wall joining the first side wall and the second side wall and having a top edge.   
     
     
         7 . The lip of  claim 6 , further comprising a top rail disposed at and extending along at least a portion of the top edge of the first side wall, the top edge of the second side wall, and the top edge of the rear wall. 
     
     
         8 . The lip of  claim 6 , wherein the rear wall slopes forward at an angle relative to the horizontal plane including the bottom edges of the first side wall and the second side wall. 
     
     
         9 . The lip of  claim 6 , wherein the rear wall is oriented vertically with respect to a horizontal plane including the bottom edges of the first side wall and the second side wall. 
     
     
         10 . The lip of  claim 6 , wherein the lip is constructed to be retrofitted onto a non-tapered dragline bucket. 
     
     
         11 . The lip of  claim 6 , wherein the lip is constructed to be retrofitted onto a tapered dragline bucket. 
     
     
         12 . The lip of  claim 6 , wherein the lip is constructed to be formed onto a new non-tapered dragline bucket. 
     
     
         13 . The lip of  claim 6 , wherein the lip is constructed to be formed onto a new tapered dragline bucket. 
     
     
         14 . A retrofit kit for a dragline bucket, the retrofit kit comprising:
 a lip for the dragline bucket, the lip comprising:
 a first side wall having a top edge angled relative to a horizontal plane including a bottom edge of the first side wall; 
 a second side wall having a top edge angled relative to a horizontal plane including a bottom edge of the second side wall; and 
 a rear wall joining the first side wall and the second side wall and having a top edge. 
   
     
     
         15 . The retrofit kit of  claim 14 , wherein the lip further comprises a top rail disposed at and extending along at least a portion of the top edge of the first side wall, the top edge of the second side wall, and the top edge of the rear wall. 
     
     
         16 . The retrofit kit of  claim 14 , wherein the rear wall slopes forward at an angle relative to the horizontal plane including the bottom edges of the first side wall and the second side wall. 
     
     
         17 . The retrofit kit of  claim 14 , wherein the rear wall is oriented vertically with respect to a horizontal plane including the bottom edges of the first side wall and the second side wall. 
     
     
         18 . The retrofit kit of  claim 14 , wherein the lip is constructed to be retrofitted onto a non-tapered dragline bucket. 
     
     
         19 . The retrofit kit of  claim 14 , wherein the lip is constructed to be retrofitted onto a tapered dragline bucket.