EP3440268A1

EP3440268A1 - Pile driver

Info

Publication number: EP3440268A1
Application number: EP16723397.2A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Juhani HYTÖNEN; Tomi Piironen
Original assignee: Junttan Oy
Current assignee: Junttan Oy
Priority date: 2016-04-08
Filing date: 2016-04-08
Publication date: 2019-02-13
Also published as: WO2017174859A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a jib boom (28) comprising a boom part (29) and a fastening part (30) for fastening the jib boom (28) to the leader (17) of a pile driving rig (10), in which jib boom (28) the fastening part (30) comprises a rotatable part (31), to which the boom part (29) is fastened, and a fixed part (32), to which the rotatable part (31) is fastened by a swivel (33) to be rotated with respect to a rotation axis (Xk), the fixed part (32) comprising fastening devices for fastening the jib boom (28) to the leader of the pile driving rig, and in which jib boom (28) a rotator (41 to 43) is provided between the rotatable part (31) and the fixed part (32), arranged to swivel the rotatable part (31) about the rotation axis (Xk) at an angle larger than a maximum rotation angle (αmax) of 180° with respect to the fixed part (32). The invention also relates to a leader (17) and a pile driving rig (10).

Description

PILE DRIVER

Field of the invention The invention relates to a jib boom, a leader, and a pile driving rig. Background of the invention

At the top of the leader of a pile driving rig (that is, at the end pointing upwards during a pile driving operation), a hoisting boom (i.e. a so-called jib boom) is normally installed which can be swivelled by a given swivelling sector into different directions), and which is used for various hoisting operations depending on the pile driving method, for example for hoisting a casting bucket used for casting of auger cast piles. For this purpose, the jib boom is equipped with rope guiding devices and pulleys which are needed for guiding a hoisting rope, moved by a winch fixed in a suitable place in the pile driving rig, via the jib boom so that the jib boom can be used for hoisting and lowering a load to be hoisted, as well as for moving it forward, backward, to the left and to the right with respect to the leader.

The jib boom presently known is typically mounted on a cathead at the top end of the leader, to be rotatable with respect to the longitudinal axis of the leader (that is, in the horizontal plane) and in such a way that the boom section extending in a desired direction from the fastening point of the jib boom can be swivelled with respect to a an axis transverse to the axis of rotation, that is, from the horizontal position to the vertical position, and vice versa. Both the rotation and the swivelling are actuated by hydraulic cylinders in jib booms of prior art. As the maximum turning angle of the jib boom in the vertical plane, the turning angle (<90°) generated by e.g. a double-acting hydrau- lie cylinder is quite sufficient. In the horizontal plane, however, the maximum angle of rotation to be generated by a hydraulic cylinder, smaller than 180°, is often found insufficient. Typically, when in the basic position, the jib boom points forward from the leader, because in many hoisting tasks, the hoisting of the load to be lifted is usually performed in front of the leader. From this position, the boom section can be rotated to either side of the leader within a range defined by the maximum angle of rotation. In jib booms of prior art, however, this maximum angle of rotation is limited (smaller than 180°); therefore, the jib boom often cannot even be turned in such a way that it would extend in the lateral direction transverse to the travel direction of the pile driving machine. Experience from pile driving work in practice has shown that in many steps of different kinds of pile driving operations, the maximum rotation angle of the jib boom of prior art is not sufficient, for example because the jib boom cannot be used for mounting and dismounting of parts of the pile driving rig when the rig is put into working condition and dismounted to transport condition, but separate cranes have to be applied. The application of separate cranes is always time consuming and involves high additional costs.

Brief summary of the invention It is an aim of the invention to provide a novel jib boom which is more versatile than before. In particular, it is an aim of the invention to provide a jib boom by which a load to be hoisted by the jib boom can be moved also to the side of the leader and further at least partly to the rear side of the leader. It is also an aim of the invention to introduce a leader and a pile driving rig equipped with a jib boom according to the invention.

The aim of the invention is achieved by a jib boom in which the rotating device for rotating the boom part of the jib boom in different directions is formed of an actuator and a transmission device which enable the rotation of the jib boom by a maximum rotation angle larger than 180° (advantageously larger than 230°), whereby the jib boom can be rotated to the side of the leader and at least partly so that the tip of the jib boom extends to the rear side of the leader. To put it more precisely, the jib boom according to the invention is characterized in what will be presented in the independent claim 1 , the leader according to the invention is characterized in what will be presented in the independent claim 9, and the pile driving rig according to the invention is characterized in what will be presented in the independent claim 12. Dependent claims 2 to 8 present advantageous embodiments of the jib boom according to the invention, dependent claims 9 to 1 1 present advantageous embodiments of the leader according to the invention, and dependent claims 12 to 15 present advantageous embodiments of the pile driving rig.

The jib boom according to the invention has the advantage that thanks to it, the hoisting tasks required in connection with pile driving work are facilitated and accelerated, because the jib boom is provided with a larger working range than before. As a result, the jib boom can be used, for example, for removing the counterbalance of the pile driving rig, for hoisting washing hoses, as well as for installing and removing other parts placed on the rear side of the leader when the pile driving rig is put into working condition and dismounted to transport condition.

Description of the drawings In the following, the invention will be described in more detail with reference to the appended drawings, in which

Fig. 1 shows a side view of a pile driving rig according to the invention, comprising a jib boom according to the invention;

Fig. 2 shows a jib boom in a pile driving rig according to Fig. 1 in a side view; and

Fig. 3 shows a schematic view of the jib boom according to Fig. 2 seen from above.

Detailed description of some advantageous embodiments of the invention

Figure 1 shows a pile driving rig 10 equipped with a jib boom according to the invention. This pile driving rig 10 is a so-called combined pile driving rig for the installation of auger drilled piles, rammed piles or grooved/steel piles into the ground by vibration or pressing. When the pile driving rig 10 is used for the installation of auger drilled piles, an auger motor as shown in Fig. 1 is installed in a slide 22 for an implement 26 on the leader 17. When rammed piles are driven into the ground, the hammer of the pile driving apparatus is mounted on the slide 22, and when grooved/steel piles are driven into the ground by vibration, a vibrator is mounted on the slide 22. The pile driving rig 10 of Fig. 1 comprises a base machine 1 1 and a pile driving apparatus 12 mounted on it. The base machine 1 1 consists of an undercarriage 13 movable on the ground by a crawler track 16, by which the pile driving apparatus 12 is moved along the ground surface to a desired location where a pile is to be installed. The undercarriage 13 comprises the crawler track 16 and the apparatus needed for moving the pile driving rig 10. Above the undercarriage 13, an upper carriage 14 is mounted on the undercarriage 13 to be swivelled in the horizontal direction by means of a swivel 15. A driving engine 27 is placed in the rear section of the upper carriage 14, and a cabin 18 as well as the mounting structures and devices needed for mounting and moving the different parts of the pile driving apparatus 12 are placed in the front section. The different functions of the base machine 1 1 , and the pile driving apparatus 12 as well as e.g. the transmission for moving the crawler track 16 and changing the travel direction of the base machine 1 1 are configured to be hydraulically operated by a hydraulic system in the base machine 1 1 . For generating the different functions, the driving engine 27 powers hydraulic pumps which belong to the hydraulic system and generate the flow and pressure of pressurized medium in the hydraulic system, for driving the actuators that belong to the hydraulic system and effect the vari- ous functions. The cabin 18 is equipped with control devices to be applied by the driver of the pile driving rig 10 for controlling the different functions of the pile driving rig. Furthermore, the cabin 18 is equipped with, among other things, an electronic control unit for controlling the control valves (magnet and/or servo valves) of the hydraulic system for regulating and controlling the supply of pressurized medium to the different actuators of the hydraulic system.

The pile driving apparatus 12 comprises a leader 17 and an implement 26 to be installed on it, for example a piling auger or the hammer of an impact pile driving apparatus. In Fig. 1 , the implement 26 connected to the leader 17 is a piling auger. For fastening the implement 26 to the leader 17 in a dismounta- ble way, the leader is equipped with a slide 22 movable in its longitudinal direction. The slide 22 is equipped with the fastening devices and connecting devices required for fastening the implement 26 to the slide 22 and for con- necting it to the hydraulic system of the base machine 1 1 . The slide is mounted on guide tracks 23 on the leader 17, to be movable in the longitudi- nal direction of the leader 17. The slide 22 is moved along the guide tracks 23 by means of pulling ropes driven by a pull-down winch and a hoisting winch in the base machine 1 1 . Idlers 25 are provided at different locations on the side of the leader 17 and at the cathead 24 at the top of the leader 17, for guiding the pulling ropes from the pull-down and wind-up winches to the slide 22. According to the implement in question, the pulling ropes are guided via the different idlers so that in the case of different types of implements, the slide 22 is given the desired velocity and force according to the requirements of the pile driving operation to be performed by using said implement.

A jib boom 28 according to the invention is fastened to a cathead 24 at the top of the leader 17 (i.e. at the tip pointing upwards during pile driving work). The jib boom 28 comprises a boom part 29 and a fastening part 30. The fastening part 30 comprises a rotatable part 31 and a fixed part 32. A swivel 33 is provided between the rotatable part 31 and the fixed part 32. Thereby, the rotatable part 31 can be rotated in relation to the fixed part 32 about a rotation axis X_k determined by the swivel 33, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

In the jib boom 28 shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the rotator comprises an actuator 41 generating the rotating motion as well as a transmission device consisting of a worm wheel 42 and a gear rim 43, by which the rotating motion is transmitted from the driving shaft of the actuator 41 to the rotatable part 31 . Thus, the rotatable part 31 and the boom part 29 mounted on it can be swivelled from the basic position to either side of the leader 17. In principle, such a rotator makes it possible to rotate the jib boom 28 in an unlimited manner, but in practice, the rotation angle of the swivel 33 is limited by the guidance of pressurized medium hoses and electric cables required by the other functions of the jib boom according to Figs. 2 and 3 so that swivelling the boom part at an angle larger than the rotation angle β = 135° shown in Fig. 3, in both lateral directions, is not possible in this embodiment. However, even larger rotation angles would be possible if the rotator 33 were provided with a lead-in (for pressurized medium and electricity) enabling rotation, making it possible to rotate the jib boom, in principle in an unlimited manner, with respect to the rotation axis X_k of the swivel 33. The transmission device of the rotator comprises a worm wheel 42 and a gear rim 43 which mesh so that when the worm wheel 42 is rotated, the gear rim 43 rotates with respect to its rotation axis (i.e., the rotation axis X_k). The worm wheel 42 is mounted on the drive shaft of an actuator 41 generating the rotary motion, whereby the gear rim 43 can be moved in a desired direction by operating the the actuator, depending on the direction of rotation of the actuator. In this case, the actuator 41 generating the rotating motion is a hydraulic motor, to which the necessary pressurized medium is supplied from the hydraulic system of the pile driving rig 10. The hydraulic motor 41 is thus controlled by control devices belonging to the hydraulic system of the pile driving rig 10, placed in a cabin 18 in the base machine 1 1 .

In the jib boom 28 shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the gear rim 43 of the transmission device is fastened to the rotatable part 31 , whereby the hydraulic motor 41 moving the gear rim 43 is placed in the fixed part 32. This arrangement has the advantage that the pressurized medium hoses connected to the hydraulic motor 41 moving the gear rim 43 do not need to be conveyed past the rotator 33 in such a way that they would have to enable the twisting of the hoses when the rotatable part 31 is being swivelled with respect to the fixed part 32.

The fixed part 32 is integrated in the fastening part 30. The fixed part 32 of the fastening part 30 is equipped with fastening members for connecting it to the structures of the cathead 24. In this case, the fastening members comprise a flange whose edges are provided with screw holes, via which the fastening part can be fastened to the cathead by means of fastening bolts to be inserted through corresponding holes in the plate structures of the cathead. Alternatively, the fastening can be done by e.g. welding or in another suitable way. The boom part 29 comprises a boom 35 with a plate structure, fastened at its first end to the rotatable part 31 by a swivel 34, to be swivelled with respect to a rotation axis Z_k transverse to the rotation axis X_k of the swivel 33 (that is, with respect to a horizontal axis when the leader 17 is in the upright position). Thus, the boom part 29 can swivel, in a vertical plane, from a more horizontal plane to a to more upright position. The aim of this feature is to make it possible to move a load hoisted by a hoisting rope 39 towards or away from the leader 17. For swivelling the boom part 29 between the rotatable part 31 and the boom part 29, an actuator 36 with linear movement is provided, in this case a double acting hydraulic cylinder. Furthermore, a rope pulley 37 is provided at the first end of the boom part 29, that is, the end fastened to the rotatable part 31 , and a rope pulley 38 is provided at the second, free end (pointing away from the leader). The function of the rope pulleys 37 and 38 is to guide the hoisting rope 39 from the first end to the second end of the boom 35 and further to the outside of the boom part 29. In the jib boom 28 shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the hoisting rope 39 is guided to the pulleys 37 and 38 via the swivel 33. The swivel 33 is annular (that is, implemented by e.g. a circumferential bearing) and provided with a central opening, from which the hoisting rope 39 can be guided past the swivel 33 so that the longitudinal central axis of the hoisting rope 39 is aligned with the rotation axis X_k of the swivel 33 at the swivel 33. Such a solution makes it possible to swivel the jib boom 28 without moving the pulling rope 39 in the lateral direction and thereby affecting its tension and the position of the load at the end of the pulling rope 39 in the height direction, or causing lateral forces effective on the jib boom 28. Also, pressurized medium hoses (i.e. the hydraulic hoses of the hydraulic cylinder 36) and electric cables connected to the jib boom 28 can be guided via this opening, whereby their movement and loading caused by the rotation of the jib boom 28 is also restricted to the minimum. A hoisting member 40 is fastened to the end of the hoisting rope 39. Typically, the hoisting member 40 is a loop (shackle) that can be closed and locked, and which can be engaged in a loop or another suitable hoisting member in the load to be hoisted, for fastening the load to be hoisted to the hoisting member 40.

The jib boom 28 of Figs. 2 and 3 is used for various hoisting tasks relating to the preparatory and other corresponding steps of the pile driving work. Thus, the jib boom 28 can be used, for example, for erecting a pile to be installed in the ground in connection with various pile driving operations. Furthermore, the jib boom can be used, for example, in connection with the installation of auger cast piles, for hoisting cast ironware to be embedded in the pile, as well as for hoisting the casting bucket upon casting of a pile.

The jib boom 28 of Figs. 2 and 3 makes it possible to move loads in a larger area around the leader 17 than before, because the maximum rotation angle of the jib boom is clearly larger than that of known jib booms. As shown in Fig. 3, the jib boom 28 may swivel at an angle β from the basic position which is shown with solid lines in Fig. 3 and in which the boom part 29 is parallel to the cathead 24 and points forward. The jib boom of Figs. 2 and 3 makes it possible to swivel the boom part 29 at an angle of β = 135° in both directions, that is, to the left (as shown in Fig. 3) and to the right. Thus, the jib boom 28 shown in Figs. 2 and 3 has a maximum rotation angle a_max = 2 β = 270°. Such a large maximum rotation angle can be achieved, owing to the hydraulic motor driven rotator of the jib boom. The large rotation angle is also contributed by, among other things, the fact that the hoisting rope 39 is guided to the rope pulley 37 in such a way that the hoisting rope 39 is only twisted about its own central axis at the swivel 33, whereby it is not subjected to lateral forces and, on the other hand, it does not cause lateral forces effective on the jib boom 28. In other respects, the manipulation of various loads takes place in a way known as such; that is, they are fastened manually to the hoisting member 40 and are hoisted and lowered by moving the hoisting rope 39 by a jib winch placed in the base machine 1 1 and by moving the boom part 29 upwards (to a more upright position) so that the load is moved closer to the leader 17, or downwards, whereby the load is moved farther from the leader 17, and by swivelling the boom part 29 within the limits determined by the above-mentioned maximum rotation angle a_max = 270°

The jib boom according to the invention can be implemented, in many respects, in a way different from the example embodiment presented above. For example, the transmission device of the rotator does not necessarily have to consist of a worm wheel and a gear rim. In principle, it would also be possible to use other suitable transmission devices for transmitting the rotary motion to the rotatable part, such as a cylindrical gear, a chain gear, or, for example, a planetary gear could be used to transmit the driving force produced by an actuator generating a rotary motion for the rotation of the rotata- ble part of the jib boom. It is also obvious that the actuator generating the rotary motion of the rotator does not necessarily have to be a hydraulic motor but it can alternatively be any suitable actuator generating a rotary motion (for example an electric motor in a electric pile driving rig). Deviating from the embodiment of Figs. 2 and 3, the transmission device implemented by a gear rim and a worm wheel can also be implemented in such a way that the gear rim is fastened to the fixed part, whereas the worm wheel and the actuator for rotating it are placed in the rotatable part. In an embodiment of the jib boom according to the invention, the swivelling of the boom part could also be implemented by using not an actuator with a linear movement but an actuator generating a rotary motion and a worm wheel and a gear rim or another suitable transmission device for transmitting the rotary motion. Thus, the boom part could, in principle, be turned, for example, from the upright position further to a position tilted in another direction, if the hoisting rope were config- ured to pass between two rope pulleys facing each other so that the hoisting rope cannot slip off the pulleys, if the boom part is swivelled across the vertical position (that is, more than 90° from the horizontal position). Further, the jib boom according to the invention may also comprise other structural and functional solutions deviating from the embodiment exemplified above. For example, the bearing of the swivel may be implemented in a variety of bearing solutions which enable the guidance of the hoisting rope to the pulley on the side of the fastening part of the jib boom in such a way that the pulling rope coming to the jib boom is brought to the rotation axis at the swivel in the above described way, or at least so close to this optimum position that the rotation of the boom part will not cause such loads or stresses in any part of the jib boom which would be significant in view of the operation and the strength of the structures of the jib boom. The jib boom, the leader, and the pile driving rig according to the invention are thus not limited to the above presented example embodiments but they can be implemented in different ways within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

Claims:

1 . The jib boom (28) comprising a boom part (29) and a fastening part (30) for fastening the jib boom (28) to the leader (17) of a pile driving rig (10), in which jib boom (28) the fastening part (30) comprises a rotatable part (31 ), to which the boom part (29) is fastened, and a fixed part (32), to which the rotatable part (31 ) is fastened by a swivel (33) to be rotated with respect to a rotation axis (X_k), the fixed part (32) comprising fastening devices for fastening the jib boom (28) to the leader of the pile driving rig, and in which jib boom a rotator (41 to 43) is provided between the rotatable part (31 ) and the fixed part (32), configured to swivel the rotatable part (31 ) about the rotation axis (X_k) at an angle larger than a maximum rotation angle (a_max) of 180° with respect to the fixed part (32).

2. The jib boom (28) according to claim 1 , wherein at least one hoisting rope (39) is guided to the jib boom (28) in such a way that the longitudinal central axis of the hoisting rope (39) and the rotation axis (X_k) of the rotatable part (31 ) of the jib boom (28) are primarily aligned, at least at the swivel (33).

3. The jib boom (28) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the rotator (41 , 42) comprises an actuator (41 ) generating a rotary motion, and a transmission device (42, 43) for rotating the rotatable part (31 ).

4. The jib boom according to claim 3, wherein the transmission device (42, 43) comprises a worm wheel (42) mounted on the drive shaft of the actuator

(41 ), and a gear rim (43) connected to the worm wheel.

5. The jib boom according to claim 4, wherein the rotatable gear rim (43) is fastened to the rotatable part, and the fixed part is provided with the worm wheel (42) rotatable by the actuator (41 ) and meshing the gear rim (43), for rotating the rotatable part (31 ).

6. The jib boom (28) according to claim 4, wherein the fixed part comprises the gear rim, and the rotatable part is provided with the worm wheel rotatable by the actuator and connected with the gear rim, for rotating the rotatable part.

7. The jib boom (28) according to any of the claims 1 to 6, further comprising a swivel (34) between the boom part (29) and the rotatable part (31 ), with respect to which swivel the boom part (29) can be swivelled with respect to the rotatable part (31 ), about a rotation axis (Z_k) transverse to the rotation axis (X_k) of the swivel (33).

8. The jib boom (28) according to claim 7, wherein an actuator (36) is provided between the rotatable part (31 ) and the boom part (29), for swivelling the boom part (29) with respect to the rotatable part (31 ).

9. A leader (17), whose top end, pointing upwards during pile driving work, is equipped with a jib boom (28) according to any of the claims 1 to 8.

10. The leader (17) according to claim 9, wherein the jib boom (28) is fastened to a cathead (24) at the top end of the leader (17).

1 1 . The leader (17) according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the jib boom (28) is fastened to the leader (17) in such a way that the rotation axis (X_k) of the jib boom (28) is primarily parallel to the longitudinal direction of the leader (17).

12. The leader (17) according to any of the claims 9 to 1 1 , wherein the jib boom (28) is positioned in such a way with respect to the cathead (24) that when the boom part of the jib boom (28) is half-way of its rotation angle with respect to the fixed part, the boom part (29) is primarily parallel to the cathead (24).

13. A pile driving rig (10) comprising a leader (17) according to any of the claims 9 to 12.

14. The pile driving rig (10) according to claim 13, wherein the jib winch moving the hoisting rope (39) of the jib boom (28) is placed in the base machine (1 1 ) of the pile driving rig (10).

15. The pile driving rig (10) according to claim 14, wherein the hoisting rope (39) of the jib boom (28) is guided from the base machine (1 1 ) to the jib boom (28) in such a way that the rotation axis (X_k) of the jib boom is primarily aligned with the pulling rope (39), at least at the swivel (33).