A muck loader, also known as an excavator loader, is a mechanical device combining a mechanical arm and a conveyor. It integrates the functions of muck removal and conveying. There are many types of muck loaders, such as tracked muck loaders, wheeled muck loaders, tunnel muck loaders, pipe jacking machines, explosion-proof muck loaders, and milling machines.
The tracked muck loader is considered the best type. It uses a hydraulic drive motor, which drives the gearbox, which in turn drives the tracks. Because of the large gripping area of the tracks, it can handle various road surfaces and can even work in waterlogged tunnels, something wheeled muck loaders cannot do. Today, let's explain the structural components of a tracked muck loader.
The tracked muck loader's structure consists of the following four parts:
Working Structure: The tracked muck loader consists of a gantry frame, a boom, a large and small arm, hydraulic cylinders, a bucket, connecting rods, and a slewing cylinder. The hydraulic control lever controls the hydraulic control valves, which in turn control the one-way throttle valves at both ends of the swing cylinder to control the swing speed. It also controls the up-and-down and forward-and-backward movement of the boom and arm cylinders, and consequently, the bucket cylinders to initiate the digging action.
Transportation Structure: The transportation structure consists of a trough, drive wheel, driven wheel, scraper, lifting cylinder, push plate, and push plate cylinder. The transportation trough can swing up and down; controlling the extension and retraction of the lifting cylinder allows the trough to rise and fall to meet the needs of different angles in the mining area. Slag is primarily transported by scraper, which is driven by a hydraulic motor to the drive wheel.
Power Structure: The power structure mainly consists of a diesel engine and two electric hydraulic power pumps. The electric hydraulic power pumps drive the hydraulic drive motors to control the overall movement and digging.
Traverse Structure: The travel structure mainly consists of a chassis, drive motor, front axle, rear axle, gearbox, tracks, and tires. A gear pump pumps hydraulic oil to a hydraulic motor, which in turn drives the gearbox, which in turn drives the rear axle to complete the movement. Simultaneously, the front axle has a steering control mechanism to control the direction of travel of the excavator.
