EP2251491A1 - Milling device and method for removing soil material - Google Patents

Abstract

The device (10) has a support- and guide frame (20) at which milling units (30, 40) with milling wheels (31, 41) are arranged in parallel for producing milling cutouts. The milling units are movably supported parallel to each other. Rotation axis of the milling wheel runs transverse to a longitudinal axis of the frame. One of the milling units is movably guided along a drilling direction at the frame independently of another milling unit. A hydraulic lifting device (50) is arranged for moving the milling units, and connected with the support- and guide frame and the milling units. An independent claim is also included for a method for removing soil material.

Description

The invention relates to a milling device and a method for removing soil material. Furthermore, the invention relates to a milling machine with a mast or crane frame.

A device of the type mentioned above has at least one cutting wheel, which is set in rotation and can be removed by which soil material.

From the DE 1 812 879 For example, a method of working the bottom of waters, in particular for producing flat surfaces, gradations, recesses, depressions or the like at or in the bottom of the water, is apparent. In doing so, boreholes are introduced into the riverbed. The tool used for this purpose comprises a jacket tube and a guided in this drill set.

From the EP 0 819 819 B1 For example, a milling head, a drilling apparatus, and an apparatus and method for seabed drilling are known. The drilling device described therein comprises a milling head and a pipe arranged above the milling head with a cross-section approximately corresponding to the drilling cross-section. The cutting wheels are designed so that a round bore cross section is achieved.

The invention has for its object to provide a device and a method with which soil material can be removed in a simple and effective way and to great depths.

The object is achieved by a milling device with the features of claim 1, by a milling machine with the features of claim 9 and by a method for removing soil material with the features of claim 10.

Preferred embodiments and further developments of the invention are specified in the dependent claims.

The milling device according to the invention is characterized in that a support and guide frame is provided, are mounted on the at least two milling units, each with at least one cutting wheel, of which at least one milling unit along a Abteufrichtung on the support and guide frame is movably guided, and that Method of the milling unit at least one hydraulic lifting device is arranged, which is connected on the one hand with the support and guide frame and on the other hand with the milling unit.

A basic idea of the invention is to use, instead of a single milling unit, a plurality of milling units, which can be lowered independently of one another in the lowering direction. For this purpose, the at least two milling units are arranged on a common support and guide frame. At least one of the milling units is slidably mounted on the support and guide frame. Preferably, the milling units are the same design and arranged parallel to each other.

In an advantageous embodiment, all the milling units are mounted on the support and guide frame displaceable parallel to each other.

With the milling device according to the invention contiguous slots can be created in the soil in successive steps. In this case, first a first milling unit can be lowered and a first slot can be created by removing soil material. Subsequently, a second milling unit can also be lowered, creating a second slot. The two milling units are preferably arranged so close to each other that the created slots are adjacent to each other in such a way that no material remains between the slots.

The milling units can each be individually lowered by a hydraulic lifting device, preferably a hydraulic lifting cylinder. Here, the slot created first serve as a guide and abutment when creating the second slot.

In order to obtain the best possible guidance of the two milling units, the milling units are preferably guided in an upper and in a lower region on the support and guide frame.

In principle, the milling device according to the invention can be used both on land and under water. However, the milling device is particularly suitable for the degradation of soil material, especially hard rock, such as kimberlite, under water. With the milling device according to the invention can be defined in particular previously determined by investigations kimberlite vents and economically and almost completely degraded without unnecessary spoil, with depths of up to 250 meters can be reached. It is also possible to reduce smaller underwater vents economically.

For moving the milling device under water, it is particularly advantageous if at least one underwater drive device, in particular a control and driving screw, is provided on the carrying and guiding frame. If the milling device is to be moved under water to a defined milling point, an accurate adjustment by means of a mechanical guide structure is difficult, in particular in the case of an existing water flow. In particular, the adjustment may be insufficient if the mechanical guide structure is not a fixed mast or beam, but a rope or a chain on which the milling device is suspended. By means of the underwater drive device, the milling device can be defined in a desired position and orientation. The underwater propulsion device can basically have any known form of ship propulsion. Particularly preferred are propellers or jet engines.

A further preferred embodiment of the invention consists in that the at least one underwater drive device is pivotably articulated to the support and guide frame. The pivotable underwater drive device enables a drive of the milling device in several directions in space. Preferably, a plurality of underwater drive means, in particular control and driving screws, arranged in a different orientation and each pivotally mounted on the support and guide frame. This allows a very precise positioning and alignment of the milling device can be achieved.

In order to bring the milling device defined in a desired position, it is preferred that a position detection device is provided, which is coupled to the at least one underwater drive device. The position detection device may be, for example, a satellite-based position determination system. But other technologies for position detection, for example by means of acceleration sensors, are conceivable. The position detection device is coupled with the underwater drive device in terms of control technology and controls it.

To guide the milling units, it is preferred that the supporting and guiding frame has a guide bar extending in the lowering direction, along which at least one of the milling units is guided. Preferably, two guide bars are provided on the support and guide frame or are guided displaceably on the guide bar at least two milling units. The guide bar preferably has an elongated shape with at least one guide rail, which is clasped by corresponding guide claws of the milling units.

An advantageous embodiment of the milling device is that the milling units each have a holding frame, on which a hydraulic drive means for rotationally driving the at least one cutting wheel is arranged. The at least one cutting wheel is preferably arranged below the holding frame on a bearing plate and has a horizontally extending axis of rotation. The cutting wheel is provided at its periphery with a plurality of cutting tools, such as cutting teeth, with which the actual milling process takes place. The hydraulic drive device, for example a hydraulic motor, for driving the at least one cutting wheel is preferably arranged in a lower region of the holding frame above the cutting wheels.

A further advantageous embodiment of the milling device is that the milling units each have two pairs of cutting wheels, wherein the Fräsradpaare parallel staggered axes of rotation and each Fräsradpaar has two milling with coaxial axes of rotation. Each milling unit thus comprises four cutting wheels. All cutting wheels are preferably arranged below the holding frame, wherein each pair of cutting wheels is mounted on a bearing plate. The two Milling wheels of a cutting wheel pair are arranged on different sides of the bearing plate. The milling cross section of the unit formed from two pairs of cutting wheels, that is to say four cutting wheels, preferably corresponds essentially to the cross section of the holding frame arranged above the milling cutter. The individual milling machines can be driven by separate drive motors. Preferably, however, a single hydraulic drive device is provided for driving all cutting wheels of a milling unit.

For sucking off the removed soil material, at least one suction device is expediently provided. The suction device preferably comprises at least one suction box arranged in the region of the cutting wheels and at least one suction line, which is guided upwards along the holding frame. The suction line is preferably guided within a limited by the support frame cross-section.

The milling machine according to the invention with a mast or crane frame is characterized in that a milling device according to one of claims 1 to 8 is suspended from the mast or crane frame. The milling device can be guided on the mast or crane frame along a defined axis, for example a rail-like guide. In particular, for the production of wells of great depth, however, it is preferred that the milling device is suspended on at least one rope or a chain on the mast or crane frame.

The inventive method for removing soil material is characterized in that a support or guide frame is lowered together with two milling units attached thereto, that in a first milling step, a first milling unit lowered and soil material is reduced, and that lowered in a second milling step, a second milling unit and soil material is degraded. With the method according to the invention, the advantages described in connection with the milling device are achieved. In particular, a good support of a milling unit to the other milling unit and thus a good support of the milling device can be achieved overall by this two-stage milling process.

A particularly large milling depth can be achieved in that, following the second milling step, the supporting and guiding frame is lowered and subsequently the first and second milling steps are repeated. Alternatively, it is also possible to lower the support and guide frame together or substantially simultaneously with the first or the second milling unit.

Preferably, after reaching an end depth, the milling device is raised, pulled out of the created slot and moved by means of an underwater drive device to a further Fräsansatzpunkt. For this purpose, the milling device is moved substantially horizontally by means of the underwater drive device. Once the desired position has been reached, soil material is again removed first with the first milling unit and then with the second milling unit, the first milling unit then serving as a guide and abutment.

Fig. 1

eine perspektivische Ansicht einer erfindungsgemäßen Fräsvorrichtung;

Fig. 2

eine Seitenansicht der Fräsvorrichtung aus Fig. 1 und

Fig. 3

eine abstrahierte schematische Darstellung einer Fräsvorrichtung mit einer hydraulischen Hubeinrichtung.

The invention will be further elucidated on the basis of a preferred embodiment, which is shown schematically in the accompanying drawings. In the drawings show:

Fig. 1

a perspective view of a milling device according to the invention;

Fig. 2

a side view of the milling device Fig. 1 and

Fig. 3

an abstracted schematic representation of a milling device with a hydraulic lifting device.

The FIGS. 1 and 2 show an exemplary embodiment of a milling device 10 according to the invention with a support and guide frame 20 and two milling units, namely a first milling unit 30 and a second milling unit 40.

The support and guide frame 20 has a substantially vertically extending guide bar 24, which is formed in the illustrated embodiment as an H-shaped carrier. The guide bar 24 includes four parallel to a longitudinal direction of the support and guide frame 20 extending guide rails 26. In each case two guide rails are arranged opposite one another, so that in each case a milling unit 30, 40 can be performed.

The milling units 30, 40 are substantially the same design and each side of the support guide frame 20 and arranged. The first milling unit 30 comprises a first holding frame 36, which has a substantially parallelepipedal outer Has shape. The first holding frame 36 is formed as a substantially four of the six parallelepiped outer surfaces limiting frame-like structure. At the side facing the support and guide frame 20, guide claws 37 are formed on the first support frame 36, which engage with or clamp around the guide rails 26 of the guide beam 24. The second milling unit 40 has a second holding frame 46, which essentially corresponds to the first holding frame 36.

In an upper region of the support and guide frame 20, a control head 12 is formed, on which a plurality of underwater drive means are arranged. In the illustrated embodiment, four subsea drive means are provided, which are designed as control and driving screws 16 and are arranged on a respective lateral side of the control head 12. In each case two opposing underwater drive means or control and driving screws 16 are arranged parallel to each other.

Above the control head 12, a mounting head 14 is arranged, which is pivotally hinged to the control head 12. By means of the fastening head 14, the milling device 10 on a support member, such as a rope, a chain and / or a mast, be attached or suspended.

Below each holding frame 36, 46 two Frässchilde 35, 45 are respectively arranged, with each milling blade 35, 45 each two cutting wheels 31, 41 are mounted. These each form a pair of cutting wheels 32, 33, 42. The milling units 30, 40 thus each have four cutting wheels 31, 41, of which two cutting wheels 31, 41 are mounted in pairs on a milling blade 35, 45. The axes of rotation of the cutting wheels 31, 41 each extend horizontally and transversely to the longitudinal axis of the support and guide frame 20th

For removing soil material, the cutting wheels 31, 41 are set in rotary motion. The cutting wheels 31, 41 run in pairs in opposite directions and in such a way that the inner edges of the cutting wheels 31, 41 turn up and the outer flanks down.

The milling units 30, 40 each have a pump 60 with a suction device, with which removed soil material is sucked off and out of the area of the cutting wheels 31, 41 can be carried away. The suction devices are formed substantially the same.

A first suction device is arranged for sucking off soil material which has been broken down by the first milling unit 30. The first suction device comprises a first suction box arranged in the area of the cutting wheels 31 of the first milling unit 30 and a first suction line 38. The first suction line 38 is connected to the first suction box and runs substantially perpendicularly from the first suction box and parallel to the longitudinal axis of the support box. and guide frame 20 upwards. In this case, it is guided within the limited by the first holding frame 36 cross section of the first milling unit 30. Via the first suction line 38, the removed soil material can be transported upwards. The second suction device is provided in a corresponding manner on the second milling unit 40 and comprises a second suction line 48.

Each of the milling units 30, 40 is movable along the support and guide frame 20. For this purpose, each of the milling units 30, 40 is associated with a hydraulic lifting device 50, wherein the first milling unit 30, a first hydraulic lifting device 50 and the second milling unit 40 is associated with a second hydraulic lifting device. The hydraulic lifting devices 50 each comprise a lifting cylinder 52 and a lifting piston 54. The lifting cylinders 52 are articulated to the support and guide frame 20, and the lifting piston 54 are hinged to the support frame 36, 46 of the corresponding milling unit 30, 40.

Fig. 3 It can be seen that the support and guide frame 20 has laterally protruding tabs 28 for the articulation of the lifting cylinder 52. These are each provided with an eye, on which the lifting devices 50, for example by means of a bolt, can be articulated. The tabs 28 are arranged substantially centrally with respect to the longitudinal direction of the support and guide frame 20 on the guide bar 24. The lifting devices 50 are thus articulated centrally on the support and guide frame 20. They extend substantially perpendicular and parallel to the longitudinal axis of the support and guide frame 20th

The lifting devices 50, in particular the lifting pistons 54 of the lifting devices 50, are each articulated at a lower region of the corresponding holding frame 36, 46. In an extended state, the lifting devices 50 have a Length, which essentially corresponds to the length of the guide bar 24 and the length of the holding frame 36, 46. In a retracted state, the length of the lifting means 50 corresponds to substantially half the length of the guide bar 24 and the length of the holding frame 36, 46. The stroke length of the lifting devices 50 thus corresponds to about half the length of the guide bar 24. With the hydraulic lifting device 50 can a downward force is exerted with which the cutting wheels can be pressed against a ground surface.

To reduce soil material under water, the milling device 10 is moved by means of a support device, such as a crane, to a desired location. The carrying device can be arranged, for example, on a ship or a floating platform. The milling device is lowered, for example via a cable, from the carrying device into the water. There it can be positioned by means of the control and driving screws 16 just above the point to be machined.

With a hydraulic drive device, the cutting wheels 31 of the first milling unit 30 are set in rotary motion and soil material is mined. For this purpose, the first milling unit 30 is moved downwards by means of the first hydraulic lifting device 50 assigned to it, a first milling slot being produced. After the first hydraulic lifting device 50 has reached its maximum extended position, the milling process of this milling unit is interrupted. The cutting wheels 41 of the second milling unit 40 are then set into rotary motion by means of a second hydraulic drive device. By means of the second hydraulic lifting device, the second milling unit 40 is moved downwards, wherein a second Frässchlitz is generated. During the production of the second milling slot, the first milling unit 30 positioned in the first milling slot acts as an abutment and guide for the second milling unit 40. The two milling slots are arranged so close together that substantially no material stands between them. The milling units 30, 40 can have such a large weight that, to avoid too high a pressing force downwards, the lifting device 50 causes a weight reduction in the downwards method. In individual cases, however, a force can also be exercised downwards.

After the second hydraulic lifting device 50 has reached its maximum extended position, the support and guide frame 20 is moved by retracting both hydraulic lifting devices 50 down. Subsequently, a further milling operation is first performed with the first milling unit 30 and then with the second milling unit 40 or vice versa. Then again the support and guide frame 20 is traced. The process steps are repeated until the desired final depth is reached.

After reaching the desired final depth, the milling device 10 is pulled out of the created Frässchlitz and moved by the support means and the control and driving screws 16 to a position at which a further milling operation is performed. Here, the method steps described above are repeated.

With the milling device according to the invention, soil material, in particular below a water surface, can be degraded overall in a particularly effective and economical manner with a comparatively simple design of the device.

Claims (12)

Milling device for removing soil material,
characterized,
that a support and guide frame (20) is provided, to which at least two milling units (30, 40) each having at least one cutting wheel (31, 41) are mounted, of which at least a milling unit (30, 40) along a sinking direction to the Support and guide frame (20) is movably guided, and
in that at least one hydraulic lifting device (50) is arranged for moving the milling unit (30, 40), which is connected, on the one hand, to the carrying and guiding frame (20) and, on the other hand, to the milling unit (30, 40). Milling device according to claim 1,
characterized,
in that at least one underwater drive device, in particular a control and driving screw (16), is provided for underwater movement of the milling device (10) on the support and guide frame (20). Milling device according to claim 2,
characterized,
in that the at least one underwater drive device is pivotably articulated to the support and guide frame (20). Milling device according to one of claims 2 or 3,
characterized,
that a position detector is provided, which is coupled to the underwater drive means. Milling device according to one of claims 1 to 4,
characterized,
in that the carrying and guiding frame (20) has a guide bar (24) extending in the direction of lowering, along which at least one of the milling units (30, 40) is guided. Milling device according to one of claims 1 to 5,
characterized,
in that the milling units (30, 40) each have a holding frame (36, 46) on which a hydraulic drive device (60) for rotationally driving the at least one cutting wheel (31, 41) is arranged. Milling device according to one of claims 1 to 6,
characterized,
in that the milling units (30, 40) each have two pairs of cutting wheels (32, 33, 42), the pairs of cutting wheels (32, 33, 42) having axes of rotation offset parallel to one another and each pair of cutting wheels (32, 33, 42) having two cutting wheels (31, 41) with coaxial axes of rotation. Milling device according to one of claims 1 to 7,
characterized,
in that at least one suction device is provided for sucking off the removed soil material. Milling plant with a mast or crane frame,
characterized,
in that a milling device (10) according to one of claims 1 to 8 is suspended on the mast or crane frame. Method for removing soil material, in particular by means of a milling device according to one of Claims 1 to 8 or a milling installation according to Claim 9,
characterized,
that a supporting or guide frame (20) together with attached thereto two milling units (30, 40) is lowered,
that in a first milling step, a first milling unit (30) lowered and soil material is removed, and
that in a second milling step, a second milling unit (40) lowered and soil material is removed. Method according to claim 10,
characterized,
in that , following the second cutting step, the support and guide frame (20) is lowered and then the first and second milling steps are repeated. Method according to claim 10 or 11,
characterized,
that after reaching an end depth, the milling device (10) is lifted and moved by means of at least one underwater drive device to a further Fräsansatzpunkt.

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