Ropes - General Arrangement

Operators Manual

BI010977

Running Ropes

Hoist, crowd, retract and dipper trip ropes are all plastic impregnated for increased life and for sheave and drum grooving life enhancement. The double twin hoist ropes are attached to the center of the hoist drum using ferrule-becket anchoring for faster rope change out. Each rope passes over a boom point sheave through the padlock and back over the boom point sheave to the hoist drum. The dual twin hoist rope configuration stabilizes the dipper while digging by attachment to the outer edges of the dipper body.

Ropes - General Arrangement

Crowd and retract ropes are attached to the crowd drum and work as an integral system. As the crowd rope is wound on to the drum, the retract rope is reeled off.

BI010977

Operators Manual

Saddle Block

The saddle block is positioned between the boom side girders in the mid-section of the boom. It pivots on manganese-bronze bushings about the shipper shaft. It acts as a guide for the longitudinal movement of the dipper handle. The free-floating design of the handle in the saddle block eliminates handle torsion.

Operators Manual

BI010977

Dipper Handle

The dipper handle assembly is a weldment consisting of a large diameter tube and a handle end where the machine’s dipper is attached.

The handle has a take-up mechanism that removes slack from the retract rope during operation. At the rear of the assembly is a fixed half-sheave for the crowd rope. The dipper tube moves in and out within the saddle block during operation.

BI010977

Operators Manual

Dipper

A general purpose dipper is usually constructed as a casting and plate weldment. The dipper lip and lower front are alloy heat treated castings. The dipper body, back, upper sides and door are made of steel plate. Removable tooth adapters and replaceable tooth points are attached to the lip casting to penetrate the bank material.

The door is hinged and latched to the dipper body. A dipper trip mechanism controls the release of the latch bar, allowing the door to swing open. The latch bar holds the door shut during digging. Spring loaded snubbers dampen the door’s swinging action.