EP0883715A1

EP0883715A1 - Piste-preparation device

Info

Publication number: EP0883715A1
Application number: EP97907043A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Helmut Kanzler
Original assignee: Kaessbohrer Gelaendefahrzeug GmbH
Current assignee: Kaessbohrer Gelaendefahrzeug AG
Priority date: 1996-02-26
Filing date: 1997-02-26
Publication date: 1998-12-16
Anticipated expiration: 2017-02-26
Also published as: CA2245652A1; US6085445A; JPH11508981A; JP3284365B2; ATE185861T1; ES2139445T3; DE29603461U1; DE59700589D1; NO983620D0; EP0883715B1; NO983620L; WO1997032085A1

Abstract

PCT No. PCT/EP97/00932 Sec. 371 Date Mar. 29, 1999 Sec. 102(e) Date Mar. 29, 1999 PCT Filed Feb. 26, 1997 PCT Pub. No. WO97/32085 PCT Pub. Date Sep. 4, 1997A piste-preparation device for preparing a half-pipe comprises at least one tool adjustably mounted on a piste vehicle, and lateral members which are laterally disposed relative to the tool and can essentially be assigned to side walls of the half-pipe. To prepare a half-pipe even in cases where the surface is hard and, at the same time, to remove a large amount of material, in particular from the half-pipe side walls, each lateral member comprises removal means designed with removal tools which can move substantially transversely to the direction of travel of the piste vehicle.

Description

DESCRIPTION

Slope grooming device

The invention relates to a piste preparation device for preparing a half pipe with at least one implement that is adjustably mounted on a piste vehicle and to the side parts arranged essentially to the side walls of the half pipe that can be assigned.

Half-pipes are channel-shaped or channel-shaped slopes for snowboards. In order to prepare such a half pipe, a previously known slope preparation device has side plates arranged on the side of a working device. These are designed in such a way that the manufacture and processing of the side walls of the half pipe with a competition profile is possible.

In the previously known piste grooming device, however, it has been shown as a disadvantage that only a small amount of material can be transported through the side plates and this is mainly possible only in the direction of travel. Furthermore, hard surfaces can only be processed with difficulty or not at all.

The invention is therefore based on the object of improving a piste preparation device of the type mentioned at the outset such that a half pipe can be prepared even on a hard surface and at the same time a larger amount of material, in particular from the side walls of the half pipe, can be cleared away .

This object is achieved in the above-mentioned piste preparation device in that each side part has a clearing device which is designed with clearing tools which are essentially movable transversely to the direction of travel of the piste vehicle. Due to the broaching tools that can move transversely to the direction of travel, material from the side walls of the half pipe can be enlarged Quantity to be cleared. In addition, the material can also be cleared when the snow groomer is at a standstill, for example in order to process the half pipe more intensively at one point. The clearing tools are designed so that they can also work on a harder slope surface.

The implement which is adjustably mounted on the snow groomer is preferably a milling machine with at least one milling shaft. The half-pipe channel can be milled out using this router. The milling shaft can, for example, have two counter-rotating milling spirals, through which snow is brought to the center of the slope preparation device. In order to remove snow accumulated there in a simple manner, the piste preparation device furthermore has a centrifugal device assigned to the milling machine for moving snow supplied by the milling machine. Such a centrifugal device known per se has a centrifugal wheel assigned to the milling spirals, by means of which the snow supplied by the milling spirals is fed to an ejection chimney and discharged via said chimney. By appropriately aligning the ejection chimney, the snow can be removed from the half-pipe or fed to another location of the half-pipe for repair or the like. Corresponding drives and gears for the milling spirals or the centrifugal wheel can be controllable in their speeds, so that their output can be regulated depending on the amount of snow. In addition, the throwing distance over the discharge chimney can be determined by the rotational speed for the centrifugal wheel.

In particular in the production of a half pipe or in the case of a large amount of fresh snow, it is advantageous if the clearing tools move away from the slope preparation device in the direction of a half pipe edge and material carried along via this edge out of the Remove half pipe. If such a removal of the material over the edge by the broaching tools is not possible or is only possible with difficulty, a movement of the broaching tools in order to clear the half-pipe side walls is necessary. significant in the direction of milling. In this way, the snow is transported to the milling machine and from there to the centrifugal device. This can remove the snow from the half pipe.

Various devices can be used as a broaching device, as long as they have appropriate broaching tools that can be moved along the half-pipe side walls to process them. In the case of a simple broaching device, this has at least one circulating chain, from which a number of broaching tools project in the direction of the slope surface or half-pipe side wall. Such a circulation chain can be used in a simple manner for the continuous processing of the half pipe.

For simple storage of the circulating chain, a number of wheels and / or rollers for guiding the circulating chain are rotatably mounted on the side part. The circulating chain is wrapped around these wheels or rollers and can be moved continuously. The wheels or rollers can at least partially be replaced by sliding elements which support the circulating chain.

In order to guide the circulating chain in a simple manner at least in the area of the side walls of the half pipe along a corresponding contour, the circulating chain is on a slope side of the side part facing the pit surface by a number of contour wheels / rollers and / or contour Sliding elements as contour elements are guided along a convexly curved clearing section.

Since the broaching section extends at least along the side walls of the half pipe, the circulating chain can be deflected at the ends of the broaching section. For this purpose, corresponding deflection rollers or wheels are arranged at these ends. In the simplest case, a first deflection roller is arranged adjacent to one end of the milling shaft on the valley side to the side wall of the half-pipe and a second deflection roller is arranged on the end of the side part on the milling shaft or milling cutter. In this way it is ensured that the clearing device transports the carried material into the immediate vicinity of the milling machine.

To drive the circulating chain, it is advantageous if at least one of the contour rollers, deflection rollers or a separate roller is designed as a drive roller.

In a simple exemplary embodiment for a drive roller, this can be designed as a toothed roller or as a Turras wheel.

In order to guide the revolving chain in a simple manner, the drive roller can be arranged above the first deflecting roller, the revolving chain passing through an essentially vertical lifting section between these rollers and then passing through a return section between the drive roller and the second deflecting roller. In the lifting section, material carried by the broaching tools can also be delivered to the milling machine.

In the simplest case, the axes of rotation of all rollers run essentially parallel to the direction of travel of the snow groomer or to the direction of movement of the snow groomer. Likewise, for example, the axes of rotation of deflection rollers and contour rollers or wheels can be inclined somewhat upwards in the direction of travel. As a result, a gap which narrows in the opposite direction to the direction of travel can be formed between the circulating chain and the first surface, through which, for example, snow lying in front of the slope preparation device is more easily fed to the clearing device. To simplify the construction and to reduce costs, the circulating chain can be guided without support along the return section. Depending on the tension of the circulating chain by the other rollers or wheels, the circulating chain sags more or less in the return section.

In order to be able to manufacture and process half pipes with different cross sections, each side part is adjustable in relation to the milling cutter in the working angle. The adjustment for each side part can be done separately. In this way, the side walls of the half pipe can have different slopes.

In a simple embodiment, this is achieved in that the side part is detachably fastened to a milling frame for mounting the milling shaft and can be adjusted in the working angle by means of an actuating cylinder between the milling frame and the side part. Due to the releasable fastening, a side plate, for example, can be arranged on one side or on both sides of the milling cutter instead of a side part with a clearing device.

Depending on the design of the milling machine, it can be advantageous if the side parts are not attached directly to the milling frame. An intermediate frame for mounting and adjustability of the side part relative to the milling frame or to the milling cutter can be arranged between the milling frame and the side part. This intermediate frame can also be arranged between the side part and snow groomer, whereby the side parts are mounted and adjustable independently of the milling machine.

In order to safely transport material carried by the clearing device through the milling machine, it is advantageous if at least the circulating chain is arranged in front of the milling machine in the direction of travel. The broaching tools can have a wide variety of shapes. In a simple case, the broaching tools are transverse webs integrated in the circulating chain. Likewise, the broaching tools can be formed, similar to chain stays on the chains of the snow groomer, by corresponding chain stays on the circulating chain. The webs can extend over the entire width of the circulating chain. In another exemplary embodiment, the broaching tools are scratching elements which are detachably fastened to the circulating chain. For example, several of these can be arranged next to one another and / or offset from one another in the width direction of the chain.

In this context, it can also be advantageous if the working depth of the broaching tools decreases in the direction of travel. As a result, the slope surface in the region of the side walls of the half pipe is first worked by broaching tools with a smaller working depth and then by broaching tools with a greater working depth. In the case of transverse webs, the working depth can continuously increase in the opposite direction to the direction of travel.

In order to simply level a runway surface of the side parts of the half pipe, which may be roughened by the broaching tools, the side part can have a smoothing plate downstream of the circulation chain in the direction of travel for smoothing the runway surface. This can directly connect to the revolving chain with its broaching tools, whereby broaching device and smoothing plate can be arranged on a frame.

In order to simplify cornering of the snow groomer in the half-pipe and / or to adapt the slope preparation device to sections of the half-pipe of different widths, the side parts can be mounted so as to be extendable transversely to the direction of travel. Likewise, an overall lateral adjustment of the implement with side parts can be achieved by a common lateral adjustment.

REPLACEMENT BUTT (RULE 26) In order, for example, to control the clearing devices separately on both side parts depending on the workload, each drive roller can be assigned a separate, in particular electrical, drive.

Corresponding covers or housings can be provided for covering the side parts and the milling cutter. By means of an appropriate shape of this cladding or housing, for example, the cutter can be fed in front of this pent-up snow.

An advantageous exemplary embodiment of the invention is explained and described in more detail below with reference to the figures enclosed in the drawing.

Show it:

FIG. 1 shows a front view of a snow groomer with a snow grooming device in a half pipe,

FIG. 2 shows an enlarged front view of the piste preparation device according to FIG. 1, and

Figure 3 shows another embodiment corresponding to Figure 2

1 shows a piste vehicle 3 with a piste preparation device 1 arranged on its front side in a front view. The slope grooming device 1 comprises a milling cutter 11 as the implement 4, a centrifugal device 13 and two side parts 6 and 7 arranged laterally to the milling cutter 11.

The milling cutter 11 has a milling shaft 12 formed from two sections with opposing milling spirals 34 and 35, which is rotatably mounted in a corresponding milling frame 30. A working width of the milling shaft 11 corresponds essentially to

ERSATZBLATTfREGH.26) A flat bottom part of a half pipe 2. This bottom part is followed by side walls 5 of the half pipe, which are curved upwards on both sides. The side parts 6, 7 rest on a slope surface 15 formed by the side walls 5.

The piste preparation device 1 is arranged in the direction of travel 8 in front of the piste vehicle 3 and connected to it via a corresponding frame, not shown.

Between the snow groomer 3 and the milling machine 11 there is a centrifugal device 13 with an ejection chimney, which is visible in FIG. 1 in front of a front window of the snow groomer. The centrifugal device 13 comprises a centrifugal wheel 36 which is arranged in the direction of travel 8 behind the milling cutter 11 and essentially in the middle thereof.

In FIG. 2, the piste grooming device 1 according to the invention is enlarged and shown in a front view without cladding or housing. The same reference symbols denote the same parts and are only mentioned in part.

The side parts 6 and 7 of the slope preparation device 1 have clearing devices 10 with a number of clearing tools 9. Each broaching device 10 is formed by a revolving chain 14, from which the individual broaching tools project substantially vertically. The circulating chain 14 is guided over a multiplicity of wheels or rollers 16. On a runway side 17 of the side parts 6, 7, the corresponding rollers 16 are designed as contour rollers 18, by means of which the circulating chain 14 is supported in a contour desired for the side walls of the half-pipe, see FIG. 1. These contour rollers 18 determine a clearing section 19 in which the individual clearing tools 19 clear material from the slope surface of the half pipe. At ends 20 and 21 of the broaching section 19 there are deflection rollers 22 and 23, respectively, which have a larger diameter than the contour rollers 18. A first deflection roller 22 is adjacent to an end de 24 of the milling cutter 11, or the milling shaft 12, respectively. A second deflection roller 23 is arranged on an end 25 of the side part 6 and also of the side part 7, which is opposite the milling cutter 11.

The circulating chain 14 is essentially deflected upwards in the vertical direction by the first deflection roller 22. Adjacent to the end 24 of the milling cutter 11, the circulating chain 14 passes through a lifting section 27 in which it is lifted off the surface of the slope.

At the end of the lifting section 27 there is a drive roller 26 provided with a drive 33, which in the exemplary embodiment shown is designed as a spiked roller. By means of the drive roller 26, the circulating chain 14 is guided away from the milling machine 11 and passes through a return section 28 up to the second deflecting roller 23. No further rollers are arranged in this for supporting the circulating chain, so that the latter passes through in the return section depending on the chain tension - can hang.

In the exemplary embodiment shown, the revolving chain 14 moves in the direction of movement 37, that is to say from the second deflecting roller 23 to the first deflecting roller 22 in the direction of the implement 4. In this way, snow is removed from the side walls of the half pipe, see Figure l, cleared towards the cutter 11.

All of the rollers or wheels of the side parts 6, 7 are rotatably supported on them about axes of rotation 29, the axes of rotation running parallel to the direction of travel 8.

The working depth 32 is determined by the height of the broaching tools 9, up to which the broaching tools can engage in the slope surface. To adjust the side parts and thus to change their working angle, the side parts 6, 7 are connected to the milling frame 30 of the milling cutter 11 via actuating cylinders 31. Depending on the actuation of the adjusting cylinder 31, the ends 25 of the side pieces 6, 7 more or less highly ordered an¬ above the cutter 1 _1, whereby the preparing apparatus through the bottom of Pisten¬ 1 certain contour changes.

As a rule, the side parts 6, 7 are arranged in the direction of travel 8 in front of the corresponding implement 4 so that material cleared from side walls of the half pipe can be completely fed to the implement by the clearing devices 10.

To simplify the illustration, further actuating devices for the lateral adjustment of the side parts 6, 7 relative to the implement 4, or for the lateral adjustment of the entire piste preparation device relative to the piste vehicle according to FIG. 1 are not shown.

FIG. 3 shows a further exemplary embodiment for a right side part 7 according to FIG. 2. The same parts are provided with the same reference numerals and are only partially mentioned.

In contrast to the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 2, the circulating chain 14 according to FIG. 3 has, as broaching tools 9, transverse webs or chain webs which can be detachably fastened to the circulating chain. In the area of the broaching section 19, the circulating chain 14 is guided between a roller 16 designed as a drive roller 26 and adjacent to one end 24 of the milling spiral 25 and a deflection roller 23 via contour sliding elements 38. These have a convex curvature corresponding to the contour of the half pipe side walls. The circulating chain 14 is returned from the deflection roller 23 essentially in a straight line and via a further sliding element 38 to the drive roller 26. This sliding element as well as the other contour sliding elements 38 can be adjustably and / or pivotably mounted on a corresponding frame of the side part 7. In this case, the sliding elements 38 are supported by support arms 42, 43 on a support 40 extending between the two axes of rotation 29 of the deflection roller 23 and drive roller 26. At its end assigned to the axis of rotation 29 of the drive roller 26, the latter is pivotably mounted relative to the milling space 30. Another carrier 41 extends between a pivot point 44 on the milling frame 30 and the axis of rotation 29 of the deflecting roller 23. The adjusting cylinder 31 is arranged between the carrier 41 and the milling frame 30 in order to adjust the side part 7.

It should be noted that, for example, one of the contour sliding elements can also be replaced by corresponding contour wheels / rollers according to FIG. 2.

Claims

EXPECTATIONS

1. slope preparation device (l) for preparing a half-pipe (2) with at least one on a snow groomer

(3) adjustably mounted implement (4) and laterally arranged to this, essentially side walls (5) of the half-pipe (2) assignable side parts (6, 7), characterized in that each side part (6, 7) has an im has clearing devices (10) which are essentially designed to move transversely to the direction of travel (8) of the snow groomer (3).

2. slope grooming device according to claim 1, characterized in / that the working device (4) is a milling cutter (11) with at least one milling shaft (12) and the slope grooming device further one of the milling cutter (11) assigned a centrifugal device (13) for the shipment of the cutter (11) has snow supplied.

3. slope grooming device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the broaching tools (9) for clearing the Haif-Pipe side walls (5) substantially in the direction of milling (11) are movable bar.

4. slope grooming device according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in / that the clearing device (10) has at least one circulating chain (14) from which a number of clearing tools (9) protrude in the direction of the slope surface (15).

5. slope grooming device according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a number of wheels and / or rollers (16) for guiding the circulating chain (14) are rotatably mounted on the side part (6, 7).

6. slope grooming device according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in / that the circulating chain (14) on one of the slope surface (15) facing slope side (17) of the side part (6, 7) by ei¬ ne number of contour elements (16, 18, 38) is guided along a convexly curved broaching section (19).

7. slope grooming device according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in / that the contour elements (16, 18, 38) as contour wheels / rollers

(16, 18) and / or contour sliding elements (38) are formed.

8. slope grooming device according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that _/ at the ends (20, 21) of the clearing section (19) deflection rollers

(16, 22, 23) are arranged.

9. slope grooming device according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a first deflecting roller (22) adjacent to one end (4) of the milling shaft (12) and a second deflecting roller (23) at the opposite end of the milling cutter (11) (25) of the side part (6, 7) is arranged.

10. slope grooming device according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that

REPLACEMENT BUTT (RULE 26) that at least one of the contour rollers (16, 18), deflection rollers (22, 23) or a separate roller is designed as a drive roller (26).

11. slope preparation device according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the drive roller (26) is designed as a toothed roller.

12. slope grooming device according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the drive roller (26) is arranged above the first deflection roller (22), between which the circulating chain (14) has a substantially vertical lifting section (27) and between the drive roller (26) and second deflection roller (23) passes through a return section (28).

13. slope grooming device according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the axes of rotation (29) of all rollers (16, 22, 23, 26) run substantially parallel to the direction of travel (8).

14. slope grooming device according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the circulating chain (14) along the return section (28) is guided without support.

15. slope grooming device according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each side part (6, 7) relative to the milling cutter (11) or milling shaft (12) is adjustable in the working angle.

16. slope grooming device according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the side part (6, 7) on a milling frame (30) for the positioning of the milling shaft (12) is releasably attached and by an actuating cylinder (31) between the milling frame and Side part is adjustable in the working angle.

17. slope preparation device according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that between the milling frame (30) and the side part (6, 7) an intermediate frame for intermediate storage and adjustability of the side part (6, 7) relative to the milling frame (30 ) is arranged.

18. slope grooming device according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least the circulating chain (14) is arranged in the direction of travel (8) in front of the milling cutter (11).

19. Slope preparation device according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the broaching tools (9) on the circulating chain (14) are arranged

Are crossbars.

20. slope grooming device according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the broaching tools (9) on the circulating chain (14) are releasably fixed scratching elements.

21. slope grooming device according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a working depth (32) in the direction of broaching tools (9) in drive _¬ (8) decreases.

22. slope grooming device according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the side part (6, 7) for smoothing the slope surface (15) has a circulation chain (14) in the direction of travel (8) nachgeord¬ netes smoothing plate.

23. Slope preparation device according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the side part (6, 7) is mounted extendable transversely to the direction of travel (8).

24. slope grooming device according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each drive roller (26) is assigned a separate, in particular electrical, drive (33).