Tracking, propulsion and braking system for bridge tripper/hopper car

Abstract

A tripper/hopper car rides on a conveyor via four wheel tires running on T-section rails, with respective hold down wheels riding adjacent the underside of the rails and respective caster side wheels riding adjacent the vertical edges of the T-rails. Each wheel tire is driven by a motor drive unit employing a shaft-mount gearbox with a motor brake that utilizes the reduction of the drive gearbox to increase the effective braking torque developed. A pair of caliper-type brakes is further provided for redundancy.

1. The  An apparatus comprising:
 a conveyer structure, including first and second T-sections; and  
 a car adapted to ride on said conveyor structure, said car comprising: 
 (a) two pairs of wheel tires positioned to ride on said first and second T-sections respectively, each wheel tire being driven by a respective motor drive unit, each drive unit including an electric motor, an electric motor brake and a shaft-mounted  gearbox;  
 (b) four caster guide wheel each mounted adjacent a respective one of said wheel tires so as to rotate in a horizontal plane adjacent a vertical edge of one of said first and second T-sections; and  
 (c) four roller wheels, each mounted to rotate about an axis parallel to the axis about which said wheel tires rotate and immediately adjacent an underside edge of one of said first and second T-sections.  
 
 
     
     
       2. The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising:
 first and second hydraulic caliper brakes each having respective brake shoes positioned to engage a respective one of said T-sections.  
 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said car comprises a belt tripper. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said car comprises a hopper. 
     
     
       5. The  An apparatus comprising:
 a car adapted to ride on first and second T-sections  wheel runways of a conveyer structure, said car comprising two pairs of  multiple wheel tires positioned to ride on said first and second T-sections respectively wheel runways, each wheel tire being driven by a respective motor drive unit, each drive unit including an electric motor, an electric motor brake and a shaft-mounted  gearbox.  
 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of  claim 5  wherein said car further comprises:
 four caster guide wheel each mounted adjacent a respective one of said wheel tires so as to rotate in a horizontal plane adjacent a vertical edge of one of said first and second T-sections wheel runways; and  
 four roller wheel, each mounted to rotate about an axis parallel to the axis about which said wheel tires rotate and immediately adjacent an underside edge of one of said first and second T-sections wheel runways.  
 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of  claim 6  further comprising:
 first and second hydraulic caliper brakes each having respective brake shoes positioned to engage a respective one of said T-sections wheel runways.  
 
     
     
       8. The apparatus of  claim 5  wherein said car comprises a belt tripper. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus of  claim 5  wherein said car comprises a hopper. 
     
     
       10. An apparatus comprising:
   a conveyer structure, including first and second T - sections; and        a car adapted to ride on said conveyor structure, said car comprising:    ( a )  two pairs of wheel tires positioned to ride on said first and second T - sections respectively, each wheel tire being driven by a respective motor drive unit, each drive unit including an electric motor, an electric motor brake and a gearbox;      ( b )  four caster guide wheels each mounted adjacent a respective one of said wheel tires so as to rotate in a horizontal plane adjacent a vertical edge of one of said first and second T - sections; and      ( c )  four roller wheels, each mounted to rotate about an axis parallel to the axis about which said wheel tires rotate and immediately adjacent an underside edge of one of said first and second T - sections.       
     
     
       11. The apparatus of  claim 10  further comprising:
   first and second hydraulic caliper brakes each having respective brake shoes positioned to engage a respective one of said T - sections.     
     
     
       12. The apparatus of  claim 10  wherein said car comprises a belt tripper. 
     
     
       13. The apparatus of  claim 10  wherein said car comprises a hopper. 
     
     
       14. An apparatus comprising:
   a car adapted to ride on first and second wheel runways of a conveyer structure, said car comprising multiple wheel tires positioned to ride on said first and second wheel runways, each wheel tire being driven by a respective motor drive unit, each drive unit including an electric motor, an electric motor brake and a gearbox, the car having caliper brakes with brake shoes positioned to engage a wheel runway.     
     
     
       15. The apparatus of  claim 14  wherein said car comprises a belt tripper. 
     
     
       16. The apparatus of  claim 14  wherein said car comprises a hopper. 
     
     
       17. An apparatus comprising:
   a car adapted to ride on first and second wheel runways of a conveyer structure, said car comprising: multiple wheel tires positioned to ride on said first and second wheel runways, each wheel tire being driven by a respective motor drive unit, each driver unit including an electric motor, an electric motor brake and a gearbox;        caster guide wheels mounted adjacent a plurality of said wheel tires so as to rotate in a horizontal plane adjacent a vertical edge of one of said first and second wheel runways; and        four roller wheels, mounted to rotate about an axis parallel to the axis about which said wheel tires rotate and immediately adjacent an underside edge of one of said first and second wheel runways.     
     
     
       18. The apparatus of  claim 17  further comprising:
   first and second hydraulic caliper brakes each having respective brake shoes positioned to engage a respective one of said wheel runways.     
     
     
       19. An apparatus comprising:
   a conveyor structure for moving material having first and second wheel runways; and        a car adapted to travel on the material conveyor structure, the car comprising multiple wheel tires positioned to ride on the first and second wheel runways, certain of the wheel tires being driven by a motor drive unit, each motor drive unit including a motor with a motor brake, and a gear box connecting the motor to the wheel tire being driven and roller wheels mounted to rotate about an axis parallel to the axis about which the wheel tire rotates, adjacent an underside of one of the first and second wheel runways.     
     
     
       20. The apparatus of  claim 19  wherein the gear box is a reduction gearbox. 
     
     
       21. The apparatus of  claim 19  wherein the car further comprises:
   caster guide wheels mounted adjacent a wheel tire so as to rotate in a horizontal plane adjacent a vertical edge of one of the first and second wheel runways.     
     
     
       22. The apparatus of  claim 19  wherein the motor of the motor drive unit is an electric motor and the motor brake is an electric motor brake. 
     
     
       23. The apparatus of  claim 22  wherein the gear box is a reduction gearbox. 
     
     
       24. The apparatus of  claim 23  wherein the car further comprises:
   caster guide wheels mounted adjacent a wheel tire so as to rotate in a horizontal plane adjacent a vertical edge of one of the first and second wheel runways.     
     
     
       25. An apparatus comprising:
   a conveyor structure for moving material having first and second wheel runways; and        a car adapted to travel on the conveyor structure, the car comprising multiple wheel tire positions to ride on the first and second wheel runways, certain of the wheel tires being drawn by a motor drive unit, each motor drive unit including a motor with a motor brake, and a gear box connecting the motor to the wheel tire being driven, the car having caliper brakes with brake shoes positioned to engage a wheel runway.     
     
     
       26. The apparatus of  claim 25  wherein the car further comprises:
   roller wheels mounted to rotate about an axis parallel to the axis about which the wheel tires rotate, adjacent an underside of one of the first and second wheel runways.