FR2513693A1 - Sea bed boring cutter - has jib of two sliding masts and boring head with instantaneous coupling and uncoupling - Google Patents

Abstract

The boring cutter has a telescopic jib formed of an outer fixed mast (7) and a sliding one (8) inside it. A lifting and boring actuator (10) connects the bottom of the cutter mast and the top of the inner mast. A mobile boring head (20,21) is guided along the outer mast and transmission parts connect the top of the inner mast and the boring head. There is instantaneous coupling and uncoupling of the transmission and the top of the inner mast carries pulleys (14b) for a lifting cable.

Description

Multipurpose drilling machine
The present invention relates to a versatile drilling machine usable as well - in the fields of water research, mining research by sediment sampling (economic surveys), geothermal and seismology; - that in the field of mineral research with great precision of interpretation requiring continuous or partial coring of the geological zones to be identified with a view to their future exploitation.

Until now, it was essential to use two very different machines from one another, to operate in the two categories of work above. Indeed - in the first case, it was necessary to have a machine equipped with a drilling head working from 0 to 100 revolutions / minute with a torque of 1,000 to 1,500 m / kg, such machines having to be equipped with 'a lifting power of 15 to 45 tonnes, necessary to raise the drill string, the weight of which can reach from 10 to 30 tonnes to work at depths up to 1,500 meters; such power being absolutely essential for raising said drill string and having the desirable safety margin to pass possible jamming zones; - on the other hand, for the second category of work, the drilling head must be able to reach a rotation speed of 500 to 1,000 rpm - with a torque of 100 to 120 m / kg and it is essential that we can proceed to rapid and very powerful ascent of the drill string when coring is carried out during which it is sometimes necessary to wind the tool (diamond or other) due to deterioration, the latter sometimes being very deep ranging from 200 to 1,500 meters.

For the execution of the two categories of work mentioned above, it is known to use two different machines - having a common basic structure comprising: a telescopic boom constituted by a fixed external mast and a movable mast mounted with a sliding ability to the inside the latter, a powerful jack connecting the lower part of the external mast to the upper part of the internal mast, a movable and guided rotation head along the external mast and means of traction of said rotation head whose upward movements or descendants result from the elongation or retraction, respectively, of the movable interior mast (German patent N "1,159,880), under the effect of said jack.

These machines allow the ascent of the drill string, but at a too slow rate under current operating conditions, so that one is led to install large auxiliary tripods equipped with winches to accelerate the ascent of the drill string, especially when core drilling is carried out.

On the other hand, the means of traction of the rotatipn head along the telescopic boom are constituted by chains or by cables, which, in the field of core drilling work, does not allow a drive of said head with the essential precision of a particular approach to these works, taking into account the relaxation of the tension of said cables or chains.

The present invention relates to a versatile drilling machine capable of being used for the two aforementioned categories of drilling and coring work and allowing a very powerful rapid rise of the drill string.

The drilling machine according to the invention comprises coupling means and instrumental disassembly of the transmission members ensuring the connection of the drilling head and the movable interior mast, the top of which is equipped with one or more pulleys on which can wind a fixed cable to a fixed element of said machine, so that after lateral erasure of said drilling head and release of said transmission members, said uncoupled movable inner mast can be used as a lifting arm allowing the ascent rapid drill string, using said cable.

According to another characteristic, the transmission members connecting the drilling head and the upper part of the movable interior mast of the telescopic boom, comprise two lateral jacking and lifting arms mounted with a sliding capacity along the external mast and fixed, by their opposite ends, on the one hand to said carriage of said drilling head and, on the other hand, to said upper part of the movable mast.

According to another characteristic, the means allowing the coupling and uncoupling of the carriage carrying the rotation head and the upper part of the movable inner mast, comprise two double-acting cylinders carried by said upper part and whose movable rods are capable of occupy two positions, either a first emerging coupling position in which they are engaged in holes drilled at the upper part of the driving and lifting arms, and a second retracted uncoupling position in which they are withdrawn from said holes.

The machine with the aforementioned characteristics has many advantages - provided with an adequate hydraulic drilling head, it makes it possible to carry out two kinds of work which, until now, required two completely different equipment from one another and , in the case of core drilling operations, the use of auxiliary equipment for lifting the drill string; - it is simple, powerful, inexpensive, versatile and can be used by relatively unskilled labor - it can be instantly converted into a lifting device allowing a rapid and very powerful ascent of the drill string - the drive of the rotation head, both during driving and lifting, is carried out in direct connection with the main cylinder, which gives these movements the essential flexibility of approach required by core drilling - its relative lightness allows its installation on light all-terrain vehicles and of reduced size.

These objects> characteristics and advantages, and others still, will emerge more clearly from the description which follows and from the appended drawings in which
Figure 1 is a simplified front view of the multi-purpose machine according to the invention illustrated in a drilling situation (without the drill string) and whose arrow is shown in its retracted state according to which the rotation head occupies a low position.

Figure 2 is a side view of Figure 1, the drilling machine being shown mounted on a motor truck of which only the rear carrier portion is illustrated.

Figure 3 is a smaller scale front view of said machine whose arrow is shown in the maximum elongation position.

FIG. 4 is a side view of FIG. 3.

 Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 3 and showing the machine in the ascent position of the drill string, the rotation head being in the "cleared" position.

FIG. 6 is a side view of FIG. 5.

Figure 7 is a front view and in axial section of the upper part of the boom of the machine shown in the retracted position and in the drilling situation.

FIG. 8 is a plan view and in section along line 8 - 8 in FIG. 7.

Figure 9 is a side view with partial section, of the lower part of the machine> the drilling head being in the low position.

Figure 10 is a plan view and section, on a larger scale, along the line read - 10 of Figure 9, the line drawn in broken lines illustrating the "erased" position of the frame carrying the rotation head.

Reference is made to said drawings to describe an advantageous embodiment of the multipurpose drilling machine according to the invention.

This machine is more particularly intended for the execution of drillings, soundings or cores being able to reach great depths, that is to say to work in a vertical direction. For this reason, expressions such as "lower part", "upper part", "base" "top", "mast", etc. are used in the remainder of this description. It is however obvious that it does not these are not limiting expressions, the machine according to the invention can, if necessary, work in inclined or even horizontal directions, as will be readily understood.

The claimed machine comprises a support upright 1 advantageously constituted by a robust tubular metal beam, of quadrilateral section, for example rectangular.

The base of this support upright is provided with a jack 2 forming a foot allowing the support of the machine on the ground.

As indicated previously, the latter can be mounted on an automobile truck 3 and, in this case, the support upright is articulated, using all appropriate means, on the one hand, in its lower part, on flanges 3a rigidly integral with the chassis of the truck and, on the other hand, in its upper part, at the end of the rod of two positioning jacks 4 articulated by the rear end of their body, on said chassis. These jacks allow the machine to be placed in a vertical working position, or in an inclined transport or garage position.

In the vicinity of its base, the support upright 1 is rigidly secured to the rotation table 5 which commonly comprises an orifice for the passage and the centering of the drill pipe or the drill string.

On the other hand, said support upright carries, at its top, a plate 6 for holding and guiding, rigidly fixed by welding or otherwise on the latter.

The machine comprises a telescopic boom comprising a fixed external mast 7 and a movable mast 8 mounted with a sliding capacity inside said external mast.

The exterior 7 and interior 8 masts are, advantageously, constituted by tubular metal beams, of quadrilateral section, preferably rectangular, and having the necessary robustness.

The outer mast 7 is rigidly integral, in the vicinity of its base, with the rotation table 5 which has, for example, an opening for the passage of the lower end of said outer mast whose upper part passes through an opening formed in the plate holding and guiding 6 secured to the support upright i.

In the lower end of the exterior mast 7, is fixed, by means of an axis 9 or otherwise, the rear end of the body 10b of a high-power hydraulic cylinder 10, housed inside the interior mast 8 and the rod 10a of which is fixed, by means of an axis il or otherwise, to the upper part of the latter, said axis resting, for example, in bearings 12 dónt is provided internally, said upper part.

The internal mast 8 has a length barely less than that of the external mast 7 and the length of the jacking and lifting cylinder 10 connecting the base of said external mast to the upper part of said internal mast is such that the latter emerges from the upper part of the outer mast, over a height of about twenty centimeters when said cylinder is in the retracted position (Figures 1, 2 and 7). On the other hand, the height or length of the exterior -7 and interior 8 masts can be determined according to the nature of the work for which the machine is intended and the length of the sounding rod elements that it is desired to use.

On the top of the inner mast 8 is rigidly fixed, for example by welding, a support plate 13 on which two pulleys 14a - 14b are installed.

This support plate is advantageously made in two parts, that is to say a peripheral element 13a constituted by a very thick sheet and surrounding the top of the interior mast on which it is welded, and a central element 13b of lesser thickness resting on said top and fixed to said peripheral element, for example by screwing.

The upper part of the movable interior mast carries two folding cylinders 15 arranged in alignment, in an opposite manner. These jacks are placed transversely, their axis being perpendicular to the axis of the main jack 10 ensuring the elongation and traction movements of the boom of the machine. The bodies 15a of said cylinders are fixed, for example by screwing, on the ribs of the upper end of the inner mast which have openings for the passage of said cylinder bodies which are, moreover, housed in support parts 16a, 16b rigidly fixed inside said upper end.

 The coupling cylinders 15 are double-acting hydraulic cylinders, and they operate in perfectly synchronized manner, thanks to an appropriate distribution system of which only FIG. 10 is shown) the telescopic vertical supply lines 17a -17b which are arranged on either side of the jack 10. The fixed outer tube 17c of said conduits is, for example, welded to the body of said jack, while the movable inner tube 17d connected to the jacks 15 follows the movements of the movable member the telescopic boom.

In the elongated position, the rod 15b of each actuating cylinder, is engaged in a circular opening 18a which has the upper end of a traction and driving arm 18 fixed, by its opposite end, to the carriage 19 carrying the rotation head 21 and the hydraulic motor 20 for driving the latter.

When the jack 10 is in the retraction position (FIGS. 1, 2 and 7), the rods 15b of the coupling jacks 16 are placed above the upper end of the outer mast 7.

The arms 18 are arranged longitudinally on each side of the outer mat 7 and they are mounted with a sliding ability along said mat. They are guided and held in lateral openings 6a of complementary shape with which the plate 6 is provided, these openings being dimensioned so that said arms can slide easily, with minimum clearance.

The axes of the arms 18, the exterior (7) and interior (8) masts of the telescopic boom, and of the jack 10, are arranged in the same plane.
PP, as shown in Figure 8.

In order to prevent the rods 15b of the coupling cylinders 15 from being subjected to excessive torsional forces, in the arm drive position 18, they are also engaged in vertical traction plates 22 arranged on the side outside of said arms and which have an opening 22a for the passage of said rod. These traction plates have, for example, a T shape and are integral, each, by their upper part, with an angle 23 resting on the peripheral element 13a of the support plate 13 on which it is fixed by welding or Otherwise, said traction plates pass through lateral openings 13c formed in said support plate, and are arranged in vertical planes passing outside the vertical planes in which the arms 18 are included.

For the purpose of perfect adjustment, the arms 18 can be executed in two rigidly-assembled portions by screwing or otherwise, either a first high portion 18b of great length constituted by a robust metal beam of rectangular section, going from the upper end to 'near the carriage 19 supporting the rotation head 21, and a second lower portion 18c of short length constituted by a metal bar secured, by its lower end, to said carriage (Figure 9).

The traction and driving arms 18 are fixed, for example by means of mise24, on the lateral faces of the carriage 19. This. the latter is fitted, in a conventional manner, with galetas 26 and 26 favoring its sliding along the outer mast 7 of the telescopic boom.

The bats 27 carrying the rotation head 21 and its hydraulic drive motor 20, is fixed, in known manner, by means of a hinge 28, on one of the sides of the carriage 19, so as to allow lateral erasure of the entire drilling head. On the other hand, the carriage 19 and the frame 27 are provided with complementary means allowing the immobilization of the latter in the drilling position, for example by means of a locking pin 29 ,
At its upper part, the support upright 1 is equipped with a fastening device 30 allowing the winding and unwinding of a lifting cable 31 fixed, in an adjustable manner, by one of its ends, to said device , and the free end of which can be permanently or removably provided with a joining device 32 known per se and allowing rapid assembly and disassembly to the elements or extensions of the drill string.

The attachment device 30 can be constituted by a winch or by a telescopic jack.

It is well understood the operation of the drilling machine which has just been described.

 In the drilling position, the rods 15b of the coupling cylinders 15 are pulled out and engaged in the openings 18a and 22a of the arms 18 and of the traction plates 22, respectively.

Under these conditions, it is understood that the extension of the jack 10 ensures the upward translation of the inner mast 8 and, correspondingly, the elevation of the drilling head 19-20-21-27 hoisted by the arms 18, along the outer mast 7; the carriage 19 of said drilling head stopping below the plate 6 for holding and guiding, when said jack is in the position of maximum elongation (FIGS. 3 and 4).

Conversely, the retraction of the rod of the jack 10 lowers the internal mast and the descent of the drilling head, the carriage of which is immobilized above the derotation table 5 when the rod of the said jack is at the end of its travel " back to school ".

To convert the drilling machine into a lifting device capable of ensuring a rapid and powerful ascent of the drill string, it suffices: - to unlock the drilling head-20-21-27 and pivot it on the side in position erasure ; - to return the rods 15b of the cylinders 15, which has the effect of separating the inner mast 8 and the arms 18; - unwind the lifting cable 31 and pass it over the pulleys 14a - 14b.-
The telescopic boom being in the retracted position, it is possible to subject the free end of the cable 31 to the upper end of the drill string emerging from the ground, for example by means of the joining device 32 equipping said end of the cable.

It is understood that the extension of the jack 10 causes the elevation of the internal mast 8 of the boom, which causes the ascent of the drill string (or other fixed object at the end of the cable 31) at a speed twice greater than that of the interior mast.

The complete deployment of the boom (Figures 5 and 6) makes it possible to raise a length of the drill string 33 twice greater than that which is used during drilling operations and which is a function of the length of the mast outside of said boom .

We have not described, nor shown, in order not to unnecessarily load the present description and the attached drawings, certain devices which usually supplement drilling or boring machines, such as feeder, dust vacuum cleaner, auxiliary cylinder used for the uncoupling of the rods from the drill string, etc., these devices being well known to those skilled in the art.

In the same spirit, it was not considered useful to describe and illustrate the sources of production of pressurized fluids grouped together on the chassis of the carrier vehicle and necessary for the operation of the various jacks, the rotation head and the drilling tool, neither the various controls for these members, nor the distribution pipes, which are produced in a conventional manner.

Claims (10)

R EVE N D I C A T I 0 N S 1. - Multipurpose drilling machine for drilling, drilling or coring, comprising: a telescopic boom constituted by a fixed external mast (7) and a movable mast (8) mounted with a sliding capacity inside the latter , a jacking and jacking jack (10) connecting the lower part of the external mast and the upper part of the internal mast, a drilling head (19-20-21-27) movable and guided along the external mast and organs transmission - (18) connecting the upper part of the interior mast and said drilling head whose upward or downward movements result from the raising or lowering, respectively, of said movable inner mast, under the effect of said jack, characterized in that it comprises means (15) for instantaneous coupling and uncoupling of the transmission members (18) ensuring the connection of the drilling head and the movable inner mast of the telescopic boom whose top is equipped with one or more pulley es (14a, 14b) on which or which can be wound a lifting cable (31) subject to a fastening device (30) carried by a fixed element (1) of the machine. 2. - multipurpose drilling machine according to claim i, characterized in that the transmission members connecting the drilling head (19-20-2127) and the upper part of the movable inner mast (8) comprise two lateral driving arms and lifting (18) mounted with a sliding ability along the fixed outer mast (7).  3 - Multipurpose drilling machine according to claim 2, characterized in that the lateral jacking and lifting arms (18) are permanently fixed, by their lower end, on the sides of the carriage (19) carrying the head rotation, while their opposite end is arranged to cooperate with the coupling and uncoupling means (15). 4. - Multipurpose drilling machine according to claim 3, caractéri seezen that the coupling means and uncoupling of the driving and lifting arms (18) comprise two double-acting cylinders (15) carried by the upper part of the mast movable interior (8) and whose rods (15b) are capable of occupying two positions, either a first emergent position in which they are engaged in bores (18a) formed at the upper part of said driving and lifting arms, or a second retracted position according to which they are withdrawn from said holes. 5. - Multipurpose drilling machine according to claim 4, characterized in that the upper part of the movable interior mast (8) carries side plates (22) arranged on the outer side of the jacking and lifting arms, said plates comprising openings (22a) led geies opposite the holes (18a) and rods (15b) of the coupling cylinders (15) which, in the extended position, pass through said holes (18a) of said arms and are engaged in said openings. 6.- - Multipurpose drilling machine according to any one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that it comprises means (6 - 6a) for guiding and holding the driving and lifting arms. 7, - Multipurpose drilling machine according to claim 6, characterized in that the means for guiding and holding the jacking and lifting arms, are constituted by a plate (6) integral with the upper part of a fixed support upright (T) and serving as an upper spacer connecting said support upright and the fixed outer mast (7) of the telescopic boom, said plate having openings (6a) dimensioned to allow the sliding of said arms, with minimum clearance. 8. - Multipurpose drilling machine according to claim 1, character in that the lifting cable is subject to a device (30) allowing its winding and unwinding, as well as an adjustment of its length. 9. - multipurpose drilling machine according to claim 4, characterized in that the device for feeding the coupling cylinders (15) comprises two telescopic rods (17a, 17b) housed inside the movable mast (8), the outer tube (lake) of these supply rods being fixed, while the inner tube (17d) follows the movements of raising and lowering of said inner mast. 10. - drilling machine according to any one of claims 2 to 9, characterized in that the axes of the jacking and jacking cylinder (10) of the external (7) and internal (8) masts of the telescopic boom, and transmission arms (18) are arranged in the same plane (PP).