Dump body and front wall retrofittable heat transfer system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12583375-B2
Application number	US-202318202793-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 26, 2023
Priority date	May 26, 2023
Publication date	Mar 24, 2026
Grant date	Mar 24, 2026

Abstract

A dump body configured to be retrofitted with a front wall exhaust heating system, the dump body having a first horizontally extending heating conduit on the front face of a front wall; one or more longitudinal body support members extending along a bottom face of a bottom floor and across a transition from the bottom floor to a front wall. Each of the one or more longitudinal body support members having an opening extending through the longitudinal body support member to provide for the fitting of horizontal channel sections for a second horizontally extending heating conduit of a front wall exhaust heating system. The dump body also including a first vertically extending heating conduit having a first channel member at a junction of an interior face of the front wall and an interior face of a first one of the pair of opposing side walls; and a second vertically extending heating conduit having a second channel member at a junction of an interior face of the front wall an interior face of a second one of the pair of opposing side walls. The second vertically extending heating conduit being in fluid communication with the first horizontally extending heating conduit via an opening in the front wall.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A dump body configured to be retrofitted with a front wall exhaust heating system, the dump body comprising:
a bottom floor; a pair of opposing side walls; a front wall between the opposing sidewalls and extending from the bottom floor; a support structure arrangement extending from a front face of the front wall, the support structure arrangement including a first vertical support structure and a second vertical support structure separated from the first vertical support structure in a width direction of the dump body; a first horizontally extending heating conduit on the front face of the front wall; one or more longitudinal body support members extending along a bottom face of the bottom floor and across a transition from the bottom floor to the front wall, each of the one or more longitudinal body support members having an opening extending through the longitudinal body support member in a direction transverse to a longitudinal axis of the longitudinal body support member to provide for the fitting of horizontal channel sections for a second horizontally extending heating conduit of a front wall exhaust heating system; a first vertically extending heating conduit having a first channel member at a junction of an interior face of the front wall and an interior face of a first one of the pair of opposing side walls; and a second vertically extending heating conduit having a second channel member at a junction of the interior face of the front wall and an interior face of a second one of the pair of opposing side walls, the second vertically extending heating conduit being in fluid communication with the first horizontally extending heating conduit via an opening in the front wall.

2 . The dump body of claim 1 , wherein the first horizontally extending heating conduit includes an exhaust inlet at one end and extends from the exhaust inlet across the front face of the front wall to the opening through the front wall.

3 . The dump body of claim 1 , wherein the first horizontally extending heating conduit extends through each of the vertical support structures.

4 . A retrofit kit for completing a front wall exhaust heating system for the dump body, the dump body having
a first horizontally extending heating conduit on a front face of a front wall of the dump body, a first longitudinal body support member extending along a bottom face of a bottom floor of the dump body and across a transition from the bottom floor to the front face of the front wall, and having an opening extending there through in a direction transverse to a longitudinal axis of the first longitudinal body support member to provide for the fitting of horizontal channel sections for a second horizontally extending heating conduit of a front wall exhaust heating system, a second longitudinal body support member extending along the bottom face of the bottom floor of the dump body and across the transition from the bottom floor to the front face of the front wall, spaced apart from the first longitudinal body support member, and having an opening extending there through in a direction transverse to a longitudinal axis of the second longitudinal body support member to provide for the fitting of horizontal channel sections for the second horizontally extending heating conduit of the front wall exhaust heating system, a first vertically extending heating conduit having a first channel member at a junction of an interior face of the front wall and an interior face of a first one of a pair of opposing side walls, and a second vertically extending heating conduit having a second channel member at a junction of the interior face of the front wall and an interior face of a second one of the pair of opposing side walls, the second vertically extending heating conduit being in fluid communication with the first horizontally extending heating conduit via an opening in the front wall, the retrofit kit comprising:
a first horizontal channel section having an open top, and having a length to extend from adjacent an edge of the front wall of the dump body, horizontally across the front wall to the opening in the first longitudinal body support member;
a second horizontal channel section having an open top, and having a length to extend horizontally from the opening in the first longitudinal body support member, across the front wall to the opening in the second longitudinal body support member; and
a third horizontal channel section having an open top, and having a length to extend from the opening in the second longitudinal body support, horizontally, across the front wall to adjacent an opposite edge of the front wall.

5 . The retrofit kit of claim 4 further comprising one or more exhaust outlets.

6 . The retrofit kit of claim 4 wherein the first, second and third horizontal channel sections have a “C” shaped cross section.

7 . The retrofit kit of claim 4 wherein the first, second and third horizontal channel sections each have a pair of upper surfaces for mating with the dump body for welding into place.

8 . The retrofit kit of claim 7 wherein the first and third horizontal channel sections each have a closed end.

9 . The retrofit kit of claim 8 wherein each of the closed ends of the first and third horizontal channel sections comprises a metal plate welded over an open end of the respective horizontal channel section.

10 . A dump body with a heated front wall comprising:
a bottom floor; a first side wall and a second side wall opposite the first side wall; a front wall extending between the first side wall and the second side wall and extending from the bottom floor; a support structure arrangement extending from a front face of the front wall, the support structure arrangement including a first vertical support structure and a second vertical support structure separated from the first vertical support structure in a width direction of the dump body; a first horizontally extending heating conduit on the front face of the front wall extending through the first vertical support structure and the second vertical support structure; a first longitudinal body support member extending along a bottom face of the bottom floor of the dump body and across a transition from the bottom floor to the front face of the front wall, and having a first transverse opening extending there through in a direction transverse to a longitudinal axis of the first longitudinal body support member; a second longitudinal body support member extending along the bottom face of the bottom floor of the dump body and across the transition from the bottom floor to the front face of the front wall, spaced apart from the first longitudinal body support member, and having a second transverse opening extending there through in a direction transverse to a longitudinal axis of the second longitudinal body support member; a first vertically extending heating conduit having a first channel member at a junction of an interior face of the front wall and an interior face of the first side wall; a second vertically extending heating conduit having a second channel member at a junction of the interior face of the front wall and an interior face of the second side wall, the second vertically extending heating conduit being in fluid communication with the first horizontally extending heating conduit via a first opening in the front wall; a second horizontally extending heating conduit comprising
a first horizontal channel section extending from adjacent an edge of the front wall proximate the first side wall of the dump body, horizontally across the front face of the front wall to the first transverse opening in the first longitudinal body support

Assignees

• Caterpillar Global Mining Equipment Llc

Inventors

• Ponnuchamy Vaitheeswaran
• Hettinger Daniel Raymond
• Wylin Christopher Lynn

Classifications

• B60H1/00014

  for load cargos on load transporting vehicles · CPC title

• B60K13/04

  concerning exhaust · CPC title

• B60P1/286 Primary

  Loading buckets · CPC title