FR2682409A1 - Method for laying pipes, in unmanned trenches, by remote control - Google Patents

Abstract

Method for digging a trench and laying pipes in a deep trench without the presence of personnel in the trench, characterised in that at least one shovel may alternately shift with its bucket, adjust the bottom of the ditch with a ditch-bottom-adjustment apparatus controlled by the driver and manipulate, direct, and automatically fit one pipe into the preceding pipe using another suitable piece of equipment controlled by the driver of the shovel (digger).

Description

To safely lay a pipe in a trench, there is only one solution: do all the operations, previously done by men, by machines controlled and manipulated remotely to avoid anyone from going down into the trench , and therefore being in an insecure area.

The inventor has already taken care to find a large number of specific tools, operation by operation. But it turns out that all these elements, used in conjunction with other known materials, and in a given order, create a new working method that we can call: laying pipes in uninhabited armored trenches, that is to say say only machines, in this case hydraulic shovels, which do all the work at a distance, without human intervention in the trench, thanks to the remote control of the connections of the mechanical, hydraulic, electrical and visual connections, allowing the driver to shovel to master all movements as if it were there, while changing equipment instantly.

The equipment to be preferably used will be described below, divided into three work stations - the first being the excavation shovel when advancing, - the second being the trench shielding, - the third being the shovel assigned to the closing.

WORKSTATION 1 - advancing earthmoving excavator called left hand excavator G - preferably equipped with - a hydromechanical connector with multiple remote controls incorporated (KOEHL patents n "8807169, 8907000, 9106183, 9106184): mechanical, electrical, hydraulic.

- A bucket with specific mechanical receiver for rapid reception on the corresponding excavator. This bucket also has special knives that can cut in front of the shield to compensate for the excess thickness of the latter when a shield is used.

- A digging depth adjuster (according to KOEHL Patent n 3 * 5) for remote change shovel remotely controlled with built-in laser target receiver to adjust the imprint of the pipe with the flange.

- A manipulator-caser of pipes (according to Patent controlled remotely with specific receivers of fast mechanical, hydraulic and electrical transmissions incorporated + support of laser target, adjustment indicator.

The assembly is common to many diameters: the clamping arms are preferably changed according to the diameter of the pipe.

- Television equipment wired or wireless over the air for remote visual control from the cabin and by the driver of the adjustment operations made at the bottom of the excavation mechanical adjustment of the bottom, laying and fitting of the pipe.

WORKSTATION 2 - trench shielding.

This equipment is permanently advancing, pulled by the arm of the excavator.

A double shoring cage of the specially fitted box type is made up of - a basic element open towards the front, - if necessary an extension element, identical equipment, - a traction crossmember (t).

A 2.1 fall protection shield fitted with handling means will be placed on top of the trench shielding.

However, in urban areas, the use of telescopic armor material, whatever the telescoping direction, keeps this laying process all its effectiveness, by avoiding going down into the trench.

WORKSTATION 3 - The second shovel located at the rear of the site called the right-hand shovel, for closing the trench, restoring the soil as it is after compaction.

This shovel will preferably also be equipped with - A hydromechanical connector with multiple incorporated remote controls.

- A retro bucket or taker with patented quick coupler type KOEHL for backfilling by handling soil.

- A vibrator-compactor with quick coupler (KOEHL patents n "8807169, 8907000, 9106183, 9106184), incorporated hydroelectric transmission and interchangeable tools according to the system
TELEJOB for compaction of embankments equipped with the compaction tool depending on the nature of the embankment.

- A 3.4 compaction hoop with quick coupling for compaction around the pipe. Can advantageously be replaced by much cheaper narrow compaction shoes to compact around the pipes.

- A compacting plate with quick coupler (possibly a sheep's foot plate if the ground is more cohesive and one or more rollers to finish the trench).

All of the equipment described is given for comfort and work carried out according to the rules of the art.

The minimum equipment is an excavator which alternately receives earthmoving equipment, the bucket, the digging adjustment equipment before laying the pipe and the pipe handling equipment, preferably under laser direction and visual inspection by television.

The new methodology for work on site will be as follows, the direction of progress of the site being from right to left.

Fig. 1 - pipe laid at the bottom, shielding (2) at this level.

The left shovel (G) using the quick coupler (1) and
a bucket (1.1) removes the soil from the front of the pipe and
redeposited on the other side of the shield. A protec plate
tion (2.1) placed on the shield prevents the earth from
fall on the pipe.

The right shovel (D) also uses a
second quick coupler (3).

Fig. 2 - The shovel G continues to dig backwards, but gradually
as the armor advances in the trench using
bucket (1.1) and bar (bottom of the shield on the left,
black dot). 2.2.

Shovel D using a vibrator (3.2) and a bucket (3.1)
restores soil by backfilling and compaction
successive.

Fig. 3- Excavator G has advanced the length of a pipe and advanced
the shielding accordingly.

 It now removes the protective plate (2.1) while the shovel D continues its work according to Fig.2.

Fig. 4- The shovel G will, with the bucket, deposit a layer of
gravel or other material to make the bed of the new
pipe.

 Then he takes his tool to adjust the pipe beds (1.3).

He then takes support in the bottom of the trench on the
previous pipe and aligns correctly with a target
which receives the laser beam (emitted from the end of the
pipe), target itself filmed (by a camera
on board) and retransmitted in the driver's cabin thanks to
to a television (2.1).

Fig. 5 - Once the bed of the new pipe has been adjusted, the excavator G uses
the pipe clamp (1.2) fitted with the same sighting equipment or
of identical material.

The shovel D, it is preparing to compact on each side of the
new hose with hoop compactor (3.4)
to block the well aligned pipe.

Fig. 6 - The shovel G once the installation is finished will cover the
shielding with the protection plate and we resume the ope
rations as in 1.

Shovel D will resume its reconstitution of the soil with a
compacting plate (3.3) among others.

Claims (1)

 RESELL I CAT IONS REV.I - Method of making a trench and laying pipes in a deep trench without the presence of personnel in the trench, characterized in that at least one shovel can alternately strike down with its bucket, adjust the excavation bottom with an adjustment device excavator bottom controlled by the driver and manipulating, directing and automatically fitting a pipe into the preceding pipe by another suitable device controlled by the driver of the excavator.