Importance

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Abstract

Power shovels include a dipper door which must be held shut to retain a load of material within a dipper and which must be allowed to open to discharge the load of material from the dipper. Such dipper doors are extremely heavy and, as a result, the opening and closing of the dipper doors must be dampened in order to prevent the dipper doors from banging against other components of the power shovels. There is provided a hydraulic assembly which is mounted to a dipper body and a dipper door of a dipper of a power shovel. The hydraulic assembly includes a restricted flow conduit to prevent unrestricted flow of hydraulic fluid between fluid chambers of the hydraulic assembly. Accordingly, as the dipper door opens or closes, as the hydraulic fluid moves from one chamber of the hydraulic assembly to the other, the restricted movement of the fluid causes the dipper door to open or close in a controlled manner thereby dampening the effect of movement of the dipper door. The hydraulic assembly can also include a valve which is adapted to control the flow of hydraulic fluid through a conduit which connects two separate hydraulic chambers of the hydraulic assembly. Thus, if the valve is closed, the dipper door cannot move because the hydraulic fluid is not able to move from one chamber to the other. Further, if the valve is opened, the dipper door can move because the hydraulic fluid is able to move from one chamber to the other.

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First Claim