EP2204499B1 - Excavator machine with a kelly equipped with cavities opening on two faces - Google Patents

Abstract

The machine has a mobile carriage moving a bar i.e. kelly (18), along a longitudinal direction of a mast, where the carriage includes a maintenance unit for maintaining the bar relative to the carriage. The maintenance unit is released in an unlocked state and displaced relative to the bar. The maintenance unit comprises a blocking finger inserted in an opening (44) of one of cavities (40, 40a, 40'). Each cavity includes another opening (48) communicating with the former opening while emerging from a longitudinal face (50) of the bar.

Description

The present invention relates to the general field of soil excavation techniques.

• un mât ayant une direction longitudinale,
• une barre qui présente une première extrémité munie d'un outil d'excavation, ladite barre comprenant une pluralité de cavités, chacune des cavités présentant une première ouverture débouchant dans une des faces longitudinales de la barre, chaque face longitudinale de la barre présentant des bords longitudinaux,
• un chariot mobile destiné à déplacer la barre selon la direction longitudinale du mât, ledit chariot comprenant un premier organe de maintien pour maintenir la barre par rapport au chariot, ledit premier organe de maintien présentant un état déverrouillé dans lequel le premier organe de maintien est libre de se déplacer par rapport à la barre et un état verrouillé dans lequel le déplacement de la barre par rapport au premier organe de maintien est bloqué, ledit premier organe de maintien comportant au moins un doigt de blocage apte à être inséré transversalement dans la première ouverture de l'une des cavités afin de mettre le premier organe de maintien dans l'état verrouillé.

The present invention more particularly relates to an excavating machine comprising:

• a mast having a longitudinal direction,
• a bar which has a first end provided with an excavation tool, said bar comprising a plurality of cavities, each of the cavities having a first opening opening into one of the longitudinal faces of the bar, each longitudinal face of the bar having edges longitudinal,
• a movable carriage for moving the bar in the longitudinal direction of the mast, said carriage comprising a first holding member for holding the bar relative to the carriage, said first holding member having an unlocked state in which the first holding member is free to move relative to the bar and a locked state in which the movement of the bar relative to the first holding member is blocked, said first holding member having at least one locking finger adapted to be inserted transversely into the first opening one of the cavities to put the first holding member in the locked state.

Such a machine is particularly described in DE 36 42 387 which represents the closest interior art.

This machine is also known through FR 2,888,859 .

This machine allows in particular to implement the technique of "soil-mixing" which consists of executing successive panels by mixing in-situ the cut soil of the trench with cement or more generally a binder, the soil / binder mixture forming the wall. This technique is particularly used for the realization of retaining walls or sealing screens.

In addition, this machine makes it possible to produce buried walls in the ground of the molded-wall type. This consists in successively carrying out in the soil, using such an excavating machine, trench portions and filling the trench thus produced with a cement or a concrete.

To make the trench portions, the carriage slides along the mast from its upper end to its lower end, to move the bar in the longitudinal direction of the mast.

For some sites, it is necessary to make trenches of great depth. To do this, we use a bar, usually called "kelly", whose length is greater than that of the mast.

Therefore, the deposition of the kelly in the ground, but also its rise out of the trench, require to do at least twice.

For example, as regards the ascent, the carriage is first brought to a first end of the mast, its lower end. Then the first holding member is locked by inserting the locking finger of the first holding member into one of the cavities of the kelly in order to secure the bar to the carriage, before raising the carriage towards the second end of the mast, its upper end.

After the carriage has reached the upper end of the mast, the kelly is locked relative to the mast and the first holding member is unlocked. Then the carriage is brought to the lower end of the mast before being locked again kelly by the insertion of the locking finger of the first holding member in one of the cavities of the kelly. Then, the kelly is unlocked with respect to the mast and the carriage is brought to the upper end of the mast. This operation is performed as many times as necessary to extract the excavation tool from the trench.

However, in practice, the insertion of the locking finger often poses difficulties.

Indeed, when the kelly is embedded in the trench, it is very common for its cavities to fill with mud resulting for example from the mixture of excavated soil and binder.

As a result, during the insertion of the finger in the cavity, the sludge contained in the cavity tends to settle at the bottom of the latter, so much so that after several excavation operations, the cavities tend to clog, which prevents, or at least makes it more difficult, the insertion of the finger. It follows that the first holding member may misread the kelly, which can cause a bad blocking of the kelly to the cart.

An object of the present invention is to provide an excavating machine of the aforementioned type improving the locking of the kelly to the carriage.

The invention achieves its goal by the fact that the cavities are constituted by notches along said edges, each cavity further having a second opening communicating with the first opening while opening into another longitudinal face of the bar.

It is thus understood that, advantageously, the insertion of the finger into the cavity also makes it possible to open the latter. Indeed, if mud has entered the cavity, the insertion of the finger by the first opening advantageously leads to the evacuation of this sludge through the second opening, to the extent that the first and second cavities communicate with each other.

Thus, thanks to the invention, the sludge does not remain in the cavity and therefore not likely to settle and plug the cavity.

Unlike excavation machines previously known, the machine according to the invention exempts the operator to often clean the cavities of the kelly.

Moreover, since the bar generally has a substantially rectangular section, the longitudinal face of the bar where the first opening opens is preferably orthogonal to the other longitudinal face.

Each notch therefore opens on two orthogonal longitudinal faces, that is to say about 90 °.

Each notch has an edge wall, extending parallel to the direction of insertion of the finger, and a bottom wall perpendicular to the edge wall.

The intersection of the edge wall with the longitudinal face defines an edge of the first opening, while the intersection of the bottom wall with the other longitudinal face defines an edge of the second opening.

Preferably, the bar has a plurality of pairs of cavities extending in planes transverse to the longitudinal direction of the bar.

The pairs of cavities may be regularly distributed in the longitudinal direction of the bar, or preferably, be located near both ends of the bar, and at a distance from the first end of the bar substantially equal to the length of the mast to minimize the number of cavities needed.

Preferably, the bar has four longitudinal edges along which the cavities are formed, and at least four of said cavities extend in the same plane transverse to the longitudinal direction of the bar.

To achieve the locking of the bar relative to the carriage, the first holding member comprises at least one pair of locking fingers adapted to cooperate with one of the pairs of cavities.

The distance between two fingers of a pair corresponds substantially to the width of the longitudinal face.

Preferably, the first holding member comprises two pairs of locking fingers arranged on either side of the bar. One can however provide a single pair of locking fingers, and a roller disposed on the other side of the bar and bearing against it. However, the use of two pairs of locking fingers flanking the bar improves the maintenance thereof.

Advantageously, each pair of locking fingers is pivotally mounted on the first holding member, while preferably being actuated by a hydraulic jack.

In order to improve the insertion of the finger into the cavity, said locking finger has a bevelled profile. To do this, the beveled profile is arranged to facilitate the evacuation of the sludge out of the cavity by guiding it to the second opening.

Preferably, but not necessarily, the first holding member further comprises at least one transverse roller, or a wear plate, adapted to cooperate with one of the longitudinal faces of the bar.

Finally, particularly advantageously, the mast has a first end provided with a second holding member for holding the bar relative to the mast, the second holding member being similar to the first holding member.

The second holding member makes it possible to block the bar at the mast, in particular when the first holding member is in the unlocked state.

Preferably, each of the first and second holding members comprises two pairs of fingers flanking the bar.

• la figure 1 représente une machine d'excavation selon l'invention, la barre étant en position relevée et le chariot étant positionné à l'extrémité supérieure du mât ;
• la figure 2 est une vue de détail de la figure 1 , montrant le chariot et le premier organe de maintien en position verrouillée ;
• la figure 3 est une vue de détail de l'extrémité inférieure du mât de la machine de la figure 1 , montrant les premier et second organes de maintien lorsque le chariot est positionné à l'extrémité inférieure du mât ;
• la figure 4 est une vue en perspective d'une fraction de la barre de la machine de la figure 1 ;
• la figure 5 est une vue de face de la barre de la figure 4 ; et
• la figure 6 est une vue de côté de la barre de la figure 4 .

The invention will be better understood and its advantages will appear better on reading the detailed description which follows, of an embodiment shown by way of non-limiting example. The description refers to the drawings, in which:

• the figure 1 represents an excavating machine according to the invention, the bar being in the raised position and the carriage being positioned at the upper end of the mast;
• the figure 2 is a detail view of the figure 1 , Showing the carriage and the first holding member in the locked position;
• the figure 3 is a detail view of the lower end of the machine mast the figure 1 Showing the first and second holding members when the carriage is positioned at the lower end of the mast;
• the figure 4 is a perspective view of a fraction of the bar of the machine the figure 1 ;
• the figure 5 is a front view of the bar of the figure 4 ; and
• the figure 6 is a side view of the bar of the figure 4 .

The excavating machine 10 shown on the figure 1 comprises a mobile frame 12 on which is mounted a mast having a longitudinal direction L, the latter preferably rising but not necessarily in a substantially vertical direction. The machine 10 further comprises a carriage 16 movable in the longitudinal direction of the mast, which can move between a first end 14a of the mast, its lower end, and a second end 14b, its upper end. To do this, the carriage 16 slides along the mast 14.

In a manner known per se, the carriage 16 is intended to move vertically a bar 18, commonly called "kelly", a first end 18a, its lower end is provided with an excavating tool 19. The means used to move the trolley 16 along the mast being well known to those skilled in the art, they are not described here.

The excavation tool 19 is constituted by a bur for soil mixing of a type known per se. More specifically, the excavation tool comprises two rotary tools 19a, 19b provided for rotating around axes. horizontal parallels during excavation operations. These rotary tools 19a, 19b, actuated by integrated hydraulic motors (not shown here) allow both the cutting of the ground to achieve a substantially vertical trench portion, corresponding to the wall to be made, and the mixture of the ground cut with binder or cement.

During operation of the excavating machine 10, the kelly 18 preferably extends but not necessarily in a substantially vertical direction, substantially parallel to the mast 14, as shown in FIG. figure 1 .

As already mentioned above, the carriage 16 is able to move the kelly 18 in the longitudinal direction of the mast 14.

To do this, the carriage 16 comprises a first holding member 20, visible on the figure 2 For holding the kelly bar 18 relative to the carriage 16. In other words, the first holding member 20 is adapted to secure the kelly bar 18 to the carriage 16, the latter can then exert a downward vertical thrust on the kelly bar 18 in order to press down the excavation tool 20 into the ground in order to achieve the trench portion. Of course, the carriage 16 is also used to raise the excavation tool 20 after the trench portion has been excavated.

With the help of figures 2 and 3 We will now describe in more detail the first holding member 20.

Referring to the figure 3 It is seen that the first holding member has an unlocked state wherein the first holding member is free to move relative to the bar 18. And, referring to the figure 2 It is seen that the first holding member also has a locked state wherein the movement of the bar relative to the first holding member is blocked.

Thus, when the first holding member is locked, the kelly 18 is secured to the carriage 16 in order to perform the operation of descent or ascent of the excavation tool. While when the first holding member is unlocked, the carriage 16 can slide along the kelly 18.

The locking of the first holding member 20 is realized in this example with two pairs of movable locking fingers 22,24.

These two pairs are arranged on the first holding member 20 on either side of the kelly 18.

The pairs of fingers 22,24 are pivotally mounted on the first holding member 20, about the axes of rotation referenced A1 and A2. As we see best on the figure 3 , These two axes of rotation are perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the mast 14. It is also noted that the rotation axes A1, A2 are orthogonal to the plane 14c in which the carriage is intended to move, this plane 14c corresponding to a longitudinal side mast 14 which is arranged next to the kelly 18.

To pivot the pairs of fingers 22,24, they are actuated by hydraulic cylinders bearing the references 26 and 28.

Moreover, the pairs of fingers 22,24 and the cylinders 26,28 are mounted on a support 30 that can pivot about an axis of rotation B relative to a "U" part referenced 32 which is fixed to the carriage 16.

As we see on the figure 3 , the arms 32a, 32b of the "U" part 32 extend orthogonally from the carriage 16 in a direction orthogonal to the longitudinal face 14c of the mast 14 above, while flanking the kelly 18. The support 30 is pivotally mounted to ends of these arms 32a, 32b.

The support 30, with the arms 32a, 32b of the "U" part 32, enclose the kelly 18, which keeps the latter engaged in the first holding member 20. In addition, to improve the translation guide of the kelly relative to the carriage, when the first holding member is unlocked, the support 30 advantageously comprises at least one rotating roller 34 about an axis perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the kelly 18, said roller extending between the two pairs of fingers 22,24 while bearing on the longitudinal face 50 of the kelly 18.

According to one variant, the roll 34 is replaced by a wear plate.

To achieve the locking of the first holding member 20, each finger of the pairs of fingers 22,24 is adapted to be inserted transversely in cavities 40,40 ', 40 " formed in the bar 18, it being specified that transversely, it means a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the kelly 18 .

This insertion is performed by actuating the cylinders 26,28 to rotate each pair of fingers 22,24 around its axis of rotation.

The locking fingers 22a, 22b, 24a (the second finger of the pair 24 is not visible on the figure 3 ) are therefore able to be inserted transversely with respect to the direction of movement of the kelly in the cavities referenced 40 in order to prevent any longitudinal displacement of the kelly 18.

According to the invention, the cavities 40 are in the form of notches formed along the longitudinal edges 62 of the kelly 18, the longitudinal edges delimiting longitudinal faces of the kelly.

These notches 40,40 ', 40 " are better visible on the Figures 4 to 6 which represent a portion of the kelly 18.

As can be seen, these notches 40, 40 ', 40 " are formed along the four longitudinal edges 42 of the kelly 18. In these figures three groups of four notches are shown, as can be seen, each of the three groups consists of two pairs of notches extending in a plane P (respectively P ' and P " ) transverse to the longitudinal direction of the bar 18.

In other words, each group of notches has two pairs of notches arranged on either side of the kelly 18, and which are adapted to cooperate with the pairs of fingers 22,24 above.

Referring to Figures 5 and 6 , It is noted that each of the slots 40,40 ', 40 "has a first aperture opening onto one of the longitudinal faces of the kelly and, particularly advantageously, a second aperture opening on another longitudinal side of the kelly, orthogonal to the longitudinal side supra.

In other words, if we consider the notch 40a, we see using the figure 6 it has a first opening 44 opening on the longitudinal face 46 which faces the pair of fingers 22. It is also noted, using the figure 3 , That through this first aperture 44 the locking finger 22a is to be inserted.

On the figure 5 It is seen that the second opening 48 of the notch 40a opens also on the longitudinal face 50 of the kelly 18, 46 orthogonal to the fac.

Furthermore, advantageously, it is found that the first opening 44 communicates with the second opening 48, so that the insertion of the locking finger 22a in the notch 40a through the first opening 44 pushes any debris susceptible to s to agglutinate in this notch out of the latter by the second opening 48.

To facilitate the insertion of the fingers in the notches, they have a bevelled profile.

It can also be seen that the upper surface 52 of the notches 40, 40 ', 40 ", and in particular that of the notch 40a, is inclined relative to the transverse plane P. This makes it possible to ensure a continuous contact between the bevelled profile of the fingers and the upper surface 52 of the notches during the insertion of said fingers.

It is in particular the contact between this upper surface 52 and the locking pin 22a intended to be inserted into the notch 60a which allows the longitudinal displacement of the kelly 18 relative to the mast during the movement of the carriage towards the upper end of the mast .

It can also be seen that the lower surface 52 ' of each of the notches 40, 40', 40 ", and in particular that of the notch 40a, is inclined relative to the associated transverse plane while being symmetrical to the upper surface 52 with respect to said This allows in particular to ensure a continuous contact between the beveled profile of the fingers and the lower surface 52 ' of the notches during the insertion of the fingers of the second holding member 54. This is the contact between this lower surface. 52 ' and the locking pin 22a intended to be inserted into the notch 60a which allows the longitudinal displacement of the kelly 18 relative to the mast during the movement of the carriage towards the lower end of the mast 14a.

According to an advantageous aspect of the present invention, the excavating machine 10 further comprises a second holding member 54 located at the lower end 14a of the mast. This second holding member, clearly visible on the figure 3 , Is similar to the first holding member 20. In other words, the second holding member 54 also comprises two pairs of locking fingers 56,58 flanking the kelly 18 which are actuated by hydraulic cylinders 60, these locking pins being also intended to be inserted into the notches 40,40 ', 40 ".

The second holding member 54 also has a locked state, in which the kelly 18 is secured to the mast 14, thanks to the insertion of the fingers 56, 58 in the notches as shown in FIG. figure 3 , and an unlocked state in which the kelly 18 is free to move longitudinally with respect to the mast 14.

As we see on the figure 3 , the pairs of fingers 56, 58 of the second holding member 54 are preferably mounted inversely with respect to the pairs of fingers 22, 24 of the first holding member 20, that is to say that the fingers of the second holding 54 extend towards the fingers of the first holding member 20.

The pairs of fingers 56, 58 may also be arranged so that said fingers extend in a direction opposite to the pair of fingers 22, 24 of the first holding member.

Furthermore, the second holding member 54 comprises a removable bridge 62 provided with a roller 64 which is similar in shape and function to the roller 34 of the first holding member 20. This removable bridge 62 opens the second member 54 to be able to engage the kelly 18.

In a variant, the roll 64 is replaced by a wear plate.

Claims (11)

1. An excavation machine (10) comprising:

   · a mast (14) having a longitudinal direction;

   · a bar (18) presenting a first end provided with an excavation tool, said bar having a plurality of cavities (40, 40a, 40', 40"), each of the cavities presenting a first opening (44) opening out into one of the longitudinal faces (46) of the bar, each longitudinal face of the bar presenting longitudinal edges; and

   · a movable carriage (16) for moving the bar in the longitudinal direction of the mast, said carriage comprising a first holder member (20) for holding the bar relative to the carriage, said holder member presenting an unlocked state in which the first holder member is free to move relative to the bar and a locked state in which the bar is blocked against moving relative to the first holder member, said first holder member (20) including at least one blocking finger (22a, 22b, 24a, 24b), suitable for being inserted transversely into the first opening of one of the cavities in order to put the first holder member into the locked state, each of the cavities presenting a second opening (48) communicating with the first opening (44) while opening out into another longitudinal face (50) of the bar, said machine being characterized in that the cavities are constituted by notches formed along said longitudinal edges.
2. An excavation machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the longitudinal face (46) is orthogonal to the other longitudinal face (50).
3. An excavation machine according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that the bar (18) includes a plurality of pairs of cavities extending in planes (P, P', P") extending transversely to the longitudinal direction of the bar (18).
4. An excavation machine according to claim 3, characterized in that the bar presents four longitudinal edges (42) along which the cavities (40, 40a, 40', 40") are arranged, and in that at least four of said cavities extend in a plane that extends transversely to the longitudinal direction of the bar.
5. An excavation machine according to claim 3 or claim 4, characterized in that the first holder member (20) includes at least one pair of blocking fingers (22, 24) suitable for co-operating with one of the pairs of cavities in order to block the bar (18) relative to the carriage (16).
6. An excavation machine according to claim 5, characterized in that the first holder member (20) includes two pairs of blocking fingers (22, 24) disposed on either side of the bar (18).
7. An excavation machine according to claim 5 or claim 6, characterized in that each pair of blocking fingers (22, 24) is mounted to pivot on the first holder member (20).
8. An excavation machine according to any one of claims 5 to 7, characterized in that each pair of blocking fingers (22, 24) is actuated by a hydraulic actuator (26, 28).
9. An excavation machine according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that said blocking finger (22a, 22b, 24a, 24b) presents a chamfered profile.
10. An excavation machine according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the first holder member (20) also includes a transverse roller (34) or a wear plate suitable for co-operating with one of the longitudinal faces (50) of the bar.
11. An excavation machine according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the mast (14) includes a first end (14a) provided with a second holder member (54) for holding the bar relative to the mast, the second holder member being analogous to the first holder member (20).

Images