FR2950091A1 - DEVICE, MACHINE AND METHOD FOR SIMULTANEOUS PROJECTION OF GRANULAR MATERIAL AND WIRES - Google Patents

Abstract

This device for simultaneous projection of granular material and continuous son on a surface to be covered comprises a support member and a projection head (T) carried by this member, the head comprising a carriage (38) of which are integral on the one hand a nozzle (50) for projecting the granular material, and secondly a series of wire ejectors (53) directed towards the jet of granular material projected by the nozzle, the carriage being mounted mobile with respect to the support in a substantially horizontal reciprocating translation movement, the device further comprising means for driving the ejectors in an oscillatory movement. The projection nozzle (50) has a substantially vertical central axis (Y-Y) while the axes (C-C) of the ejectors are oriented obliquely downward at an angle α of less than 90 ° in all the ejector oscillation positions. Application to the covering of spherical gas storage tanks.

Description

Device, machine and method for simultaneous projection of granular material and wires

The present invention relates to a device for simultaneous projection of granular material and continuous son on a surface to be covered, of the type comprising a support member and a projection head carried by this member, the head comprising a carriage which are integral with firstly a projection nozzle of the granular material, and secondly a series of wire ejectors oriented towards the jet of granular material projected by the nozzle, the carriage being mounted movable relative to the support member according to a substantially horizontal reciprocating translation movement, the device further comprising means for driving the ejectors in an oscillatory movement. The simultaneous projection technology of granular material and continuous son on a surface to be coated is known since the 1980s and is described in particular in EP-0 017 548-A1. This technology applies for example to the construction of embankments, road surfaces or floors, or foundations on loose soil. It still applies to the protection of potentially dangerous structures such as spherical gas storage tanks. The granular material may be for example sand, gravel, pebbles, crushed boulders. The technology in question is marketed under the TEXSOL brand. Various improvements of this technology have been proposed, in particular as a function of the flow rate of granular material to be used. In particular, EP-0 388 276-A1 discloses a projection device of the aforementioned type, wherein the support member of the projection head is a telescopic arm carried by a vehicle on wheels. The feed pipe granular material is connected to a hopper also mounted on wheels, relatively autonomous from the main vehicle. Such a machine is suitable for moderate granular material flow rates, of the order of a few m3 / h. The invention aims to allow the implementation of much larger flows, up to 20 m3 / h, reliably, traceable and reproducible.

For this purpose, the invention relates to a projection device of the aforementioned type, characterized in that the projection nozzle has a substantially vertical central axis while the wire ejectors are arranged laterally with respect to the nozzle, with their axes. oriented obliquely downwardly at an angle α, relative to the horizontal, less than 90 ° in all ejector swing positions. According to other characteristics of this projection device: the angle α is less than 75 ° in all the oscillation positions of the effectors; the angle a varies between 55 ° and 75 °; the angle α varies between 50 ° and 65 °; the ejectors are arranged in at least one row perpendicular to the direction of said reciprocating movement. - The projection nozzle flares down, especially in the form of a truncated pyramid; - The nozzle is provided internally with obstacles arranged to cause the flaring of the stream of granular material which feeds the nozzle; and the horizontal section of the nozzle is elongated perpendicular to the direction of said reciprocating movement.

The object of the invention is also to allow the suspension in good conditions of the projection head at the end of a large arrow so as to be able to coat surfaces located at a high altitude such as the summit region of a spherical gas storage tank. For this purpose, according to other aspects of the invention, which can be implemented independently of the aforementioned characteristics: the support member comprises a frame in which are mounted a series of coils of wire, the carriage being mounted to reciprocating movement relative to this frame. Another object of the invention is to enable successively cover predetermined surface pads accurately, traceable and reproducible. For this purpose, according to other characteristics which can be implemented independently of the aforementioned characteristics: the ejectors are articulated on two parallel plates interconnected by at least two links parallel to each other, said drive means comprising a part of the first drive means, in particular at least one first pneumatic cylinder, adapted to move the two plates relative to each other in a reciprocating movement substantially parallel to the plates, and secondly second means for drive, including a second pneumatic cylinder, adapted to oscillate the set of two plates around an axis parallel to the plates. Another object of the invention is to allow to reliably adjust over a wide range of values the speed of ejection son. For this purpose, and according to a characteristic that can be implemented independently of the aforementioned characteristics, the projection head comprises, upstream of each ejector, a mechanical wire drive device by pinching the wire between two endless rotary members, especially between a rotating cylinder and a belt. The invention also relates to a machine for simultaneous projection of granular material and continuous son on a surface to be covered, characterized in that it comprises a motorized mobile carrier, an arrow whose proximal end is articulated on the carrier, and a device as defined above, the support member is suspended at the distal end of the boom. According to other features of this machine, which contribute to achieving at least one of the goals indicated above: the boom is provided with means for rotating the support member about its suspension axis; the distal end portion of the boom is bent forwardly; - A follower train of predetermined length is coupled to the rear of the carrier vehicle, the follower train carrying a feed hopper of granular material connected to a pneumatic supply line of the spray nozzle; the hopper is mounted on a load cell connected to means for measuring the flow rate of granular material. The invention also relates to a method for covering a surface with a mixture of granular material and continuous son, characterized in that: - a projection device as defined above is positioned above a first predetermined pad of the surface to be coated; the first pad is covered; the head is brought above a second stud adjacent to the first stud; the overlap of the second stud is made; these operations are repeated until the whole of said surface has been covered. According to other characteristics of this method: the positioning time of the projection head on each pad is slaved to the granular material flow rate or to the wire flow rate; the flow of threads is slaved to the flow of granular material, or vice versa; - The granular material is crushed dry sand. An exemplary embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: - Figure 1 is a schematic side view of a projection machine according to the invention; FIG. 2 schematically illustrates the covering of a surface by means of the machine of FIG. 1; - Figure 3 is a schematic side view, partially in longitudinal section, of the feed device granular material; - Figure 4 shows in perspective the supply of granular material of the device of Figure 2; - Figure 5 shows schematically, in side view, movements of lifting and radial displacement of the projection head; - Figures 6 and 7 schematically show pivoting movements of the projection head; - Figure 8 shows schematically, in side view, the maximum lifting of the projection head and its positioning in the top region of a spherical tank gas; - Figure 9 schematically shows the entire projection device, in side view; - Figure 10 shows in more detail, seen from the rear, the carriage of the projection head; - Figure 11 shows the same carriage in side view; - Figure 12 shows, in partial section, the drive device of a wire and the associated ejector; and - Figure 13 shows schematically in perspective the oscillation mechanism of the ejectors. The machine shown in FIG. 1 consists of a carrier machine 1, a projection device 2 and a follower train 3.

The machine 1 comprises a cabin 4 integral with a motor compartment 5 and pivotally mounted on a track bearing assembly 6. An articulated boom 7 is articulated around a transverse horizontal axis on the cabin 4 by its proximal end. The projection device 2 is suspended at the distal end of the arrow.

The machine 1 is typically a demolition excavator whose boom has been modified in a manner that will appear later. The follower train 3 comprises a rigid chassis 8 coupled to the bearing assembly 6 by a rigid tie 9. The frame 8 carries an air compressor 10, a generator 11, a control unit 12, a power supply unit in pressurized water comprising a water tank 13 and a water pump 14, and a sand supply assembly. A flexible pipe 16 connects the follower train 3 to the projection device 2 to bring to it the electrical energy, sand and water it needs. The machine of Figure 1 is used to cover a surface of an intimate mixture of sand and continuous yarns. The surface may be an embankment, any substrate, or a reservoir, for example spherical, storage gas or other potentially hazardous material. To perform this operation, as illustrated in Figure 2, the surface 17 to be covered is subdivided into pads, in this rectangular example of about 1 m x 80 cm and the number of ten. The projection device is positioned above a first pad 18A, which is covered with the desired thickness of sand-son mixture. Then the device 2 is moved and positioned above a second stud 18B adjacent the stud 18A, and the second stud is covered with the desired thickness of sand-son mixtures. These operations are continued until all of the surface 17 is treated. Figure 2 illustrates a stage where seven pads 18A to 18G have been processed, while an eighth pad 18H is being processed. Figure 3 shows the sand feed assembly. This assembly comprises a hopper 19 whose input is provided with a series of parallel beams 20 inverted V section. The wall of this hopper is equipped with vibrators 21 and nozzles 22 for injecting compressed air for fluidifying the contents of the hopper. The hopper 19 comprises at its outlet a vertical duct 23 provided with a guillotine valve 24. Downstream of this valve is a rubber sleeve 25 which connects the duct 23 to the inlet of a barrel sand pump 26 by means of a bowl 27 also provided with vibrators and not shown fluidization nozzles. The outlet of the pump 26 is connected to a flexible pipe 28 adapted to transport the sand flow to the head 2, the sand flow drive being carried out by means of compressed air supplied to the pipe 28 by the compressor The feet 29 of the hopper 19 are mounted on a scale 30 which continuously measures the amount of sand present in the hopper.

As can be seen in FIG. 4, which represents only a part of the elements carried by the follower train, the hopper 19 is periodically fed with crushed sand by a mechanical shovel 31. This sand is poured onto the beams 20, which favor the good distribution of the sand on the whole surface of the hopper.

As shown in FIGS. 5 to 8, the projection device 2 comprises a parallelepipedal frame 32 suspended at the distal end of the arrow 7 by a suspension device 33 provided with an electric motor, in order to allow the head to pivot. at a predetermined angle around the vertical suspension axis XX.

The frame 32 carries a series of creels 34, eight in number in this example, each of which carries four bobbins 35 of yarn. The frame 32 also carries a lateral extension 36 equipped with rails 37 on which is mounted a carriage 38 which is part of a head T of sand projection and continuous son. This carriage can thus be moved in reciprocating translation movement towards the X-X axis and away from this axis. Sand and water pipes of the general pipe 16, generally designated by reference numeral 39, terminate in the carriage 38.

The arrow 7 (FIGS. 5 and 8) consists of three elements: a proximal arm 40 articulated to tilt on the cabin 4, a distal arm 41 which ends with the suspension device 33, and an intermediate knee 42 which connects the arms 40 and 41. The knee 42 is articulated by its proximal end to the distal end of the arm 40 and by its distal end to the proximal end of the arm 41. The proximal cylinders 43 and distal 44 are articulated to the knee 42 and respectively at the arm 40 and 41, to control the more or less important extension of the boom, while another cylinder 45, articulated to the cab 4 and the arm 40, controls the inclination of the latter. The distal arm 41 is substantially rectilinear, but its distal end portion 46 is angled forward, i.e., downward. With this configuration, by putting the three jacks 40, 41 and 45 in maximum extension, with the portion 36 of the head 2 facing away from the arrow, the head 2 can be positioned at a very high altitude, with the arrow 7 substantially rectilinear and almost vertical, without interference with the frame 32 and the arrow, as shown in solid lines in Figure 8. This allows to directly treat very high surfaces such as the top region of a spherical tank 47 storage FIG. 8 shows the throwing device 2. FIG. 9 shows a side view of the projection device, while the movable projection head T is shown in greater detail in FIGS. 10 and 11. carriage 38 comprises a rigid frame 48 movable, thanks to four wheels 49, on the rails 37 of the extension 36 of the frame 32. The reciprocating movement of the carriage 38 is produced by any suitable mechanism carried by ar this chassis. The carriage 38 carries a vertical sand-blasting nozzle 50 YY, and a system 51 for mechanical drive and hydraulic projection of the wires coming from the coils 35. The nozzle 50 is fixed by its base to the carriage 38. It has a pyramid trunk shape with a rectangular section flaring downwards, elongate in the direction transverse to said reciprocating movement, and its upper end is connected to the output of the flexible pipe 39 of sand supply. In the nozzle 50 are provided possible obstacles such as tubes or angles that cause the sand jet to flare and its distribution over the entire outlet section of the nozzle 50. The system 51 mechanical drive and hydraulic projection son (Figures 10 to 13) comprises, for each yarn projected on the surface to be treated, these son being eight in the example described, a device 52 for driving by pinching, followed by an ejector 53.

The drive device 52 comprises a metal cylinder 54 in non-slip contact with an endless belt 55 mounted on two axes parallel to the axis of the cylinder 54. In this example, there is provided a cylinder 54 common to all the belts 55 The hydraulic ejector 53 defines a central channel 56 traversed loosely by the wire 57 driven by the device 52, and a lateral nozzle 58 for supplying water under pressure, which opens into the channel 56. The water is supplied by the pipe connected to the discharge of the water pump 14 carried by the follower train 3. The eight ejectors 53 are arranged in a transverse horizontal row located at the rear of the nozzle, along the rear edge of the carriage 38. The ejectors have parallel axes and are driven by a double oscillation assembly movement about two horizontal axes perpendicular to each other, namely a proper axis AA parallel to the translation direction of the chari ot 38, and a common axis B-B perpendicular to this direction (Figure 13). For this, the system 51 comprises two identical plates, parallel and superimposed 59A and 59B, each provided with eight orifices 60A, 60B. The two plates have a very elongated rectangular shape in the direction B-B. The short sides of the upper plate 59A are hinged on pins BB axis integral with two consoles 61 vis-à-vis fixed on the carriage 38. Along their long sides, the two plates are connected by connecting rods substantially vertical lines 62, only one of which is shown in FIG. 13. Each ejector is received in the pair of corresponding orifices 60A, 60B, and is articulated by two diametrically opposite upper trunnions 63A to the upper plate, and by two diametrically opposite lower trunnions. 63B to the bottom plate. All the journals have horizontal axes substantially perpendicular to the direction B-B. At one end of the two plates, the connecting rod 62 has a lateral appendix 64. A first pneumatic cylinder 65 is articulated between the free end of this appendix and one of the brackets 61. A second pneumatic cylinder 66 is articulated between other end of the upper plate 59A and the other bracket 61. Thus, the reciprocating actuation of the cylinder 65 causes reciprocating movement of the lower plate 59B parallel to itself in the direction BB. This in turn causes the overall oscillation of the eight ejectors 53 around their respective axes A-A. In addition, the reciprocating actuation of the jack 66 causes an overall oscillation of the two plates and the ejectors around the transverse axis B-B. As it is understood, it is thus very convenient to adjust the frequency and the amplitude of the two oscillations of the ejectors.

As can be seen in FIGS. 10 and 11, the carriage 38 still carries eight thread guiding tubes 67, which open approximately perpendicularly to the nip drive devices 52. In addition, the dowel pins CC central 56 ejectors 53 are directed obliquely to the vertical axis YY, with a steep relative to the vertical irrespective of the position of oscillation ejectors. The angle α between the axes CC and the horizontal varies in a range of values which depends on the geometry of the nozzle 50 and the ejectors 53, the settings of the machine, the nature of the projected yarns and the positioning height T head above the surface to be covered. In the example shown, for a standard positioning of the nozzle 50 at 1 m above the surface, the angle α varies between 55 ° and 75 °. For a working height of 0.8 m, a varies between 50 ° and 65 °. In operation, the extension 36 being positioned vertically above a stud 18 (FIG. 2) of the surface 17 to be covered, the sand pumps 26 and the water pumps 14, the air compressor 10 and the vacuum system. drive and ejection son 51 are turned on. The scale 30, connected to the automaton 12, calculates the flow of sand coming out of the hopper 19, and the automaton slaves at this rate the running speed of the wires, that is to say the speed of rotation of the pinch cylinder 54.

The flow of sand S leaves the nozzle 50 in a generally vertical direction, with a substantially rectangular section whose width is substantially equal to the largest dimension of a stud 18 (ie about 1 m in this example), and whose small dimension is significantly smaller than the other dimension of the stud. The eight son 57, driven at a speed regulated by the clamping device 52 and ejected hydraulically by the ejectors 53 to maintain the tension, are projected parallel to each other in the flow of sand and are deposited, intimately mixed with the sand, on the plot during treatment, entangled thanks to the double oscillation of the ejectors and the vertical movement of the sand flow. The reciprocating movement of the carriage 38 on its rails (FIG. 9, arrow F) makes it possible to move the strip thus covered from one edge to the other of the stud, and if necessary to deposit several similar layers over the entire surface of the stud up to to obtain the desired thickness of the sand-son mixture.

When the pads that can be processed without moving the machine 1 are completed, the machine is, if necessary, moved to treat another series of pads. The recovery data of each plot (location of the plot by GPS, date, quantities of sand and deposited son, duration of positioning of the head T on the pad) are recorded and provide a good traceability of operations. The machine described above can project up to about 20 m3 / h of sand, at an altitude exceeding 20 m, which allows to cover most of the spherical tanks (or cylindrical horizontal axis) gas storage.

The fact that dry sand is used makes it possible to control the water content of the mixture in question, so as to achieve optimal final compaction. In addition, the fact that only the carriage 38 is movable back and forth while the frame 32 and the crests 34 remain fixed in translation, significantly reduces the mass in motion during the processing of a stud, which increases the security and accuracy of the operation.

Claims (1)

1. A device for simultaneous projection of granular material and continuous son on a surface to be covered, of the type comprising a support member (32) and a projection head (T) carried by this member, the head comprising a carriage (38). ) of which are secured on the one hand a nozzle (50) for projecting the granular material, and on the other hand a series of wire ejectors (53) directed towards the jet of granular material projected by the nozzle, the carriage being mounted movable relative to the support member (32) in a substantially horizontal reciprocating translation movement, the device further comprising means (59A, 59B, 62 to 66) for driving the ejectors in an oscillatory movement, characterized in that the projection nozzle (50) comprises a substantially vertical central axis (YY) while the wire ejectors (53) are arranged laterally with respect to the nozzle, with their axes (CC) oriented obliquely downwards, at an angle a, with respect to the horizontal, of less than 90 ° in all the positions of oscillation of the ejectors. 2.- Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the angle is less than 75 ° in all ejector oscillation positions. 3.- Device according to claim 2, characterized in that the angle a varies between 55 ° and 75 °. 4.- Device according to claim 2, characterized in that the angle a varies between 50 ° and 65 °. 5.- Device according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the ejectors (53) are arranged in at least one row perpendicular to the direction of said reciprocating movement. 6.- Device according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the spray nozzle (50) flares downwards, in particular in the form of a truncated pyramid. 7.- Device according to claim 6, characterized in that the nozzle (50) is internally provided with obstacles arranged to cause the flaring of the stream of granular material which supplies the nozzle. 8.- Device according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the horizontal section of the nozzle (50) is elongated perpendicular to the direction of said reciprocating movement. 9.- Device according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the support member comprises a frame (32) in which are mounted a series of coils of wire (35), the carriage (38) being mounted to reciprocating movement relative to this frame. 10.- Device according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the ejectors (53) are articulated on two parallel plates between them (59A, 59B) connected by at least two connecting rods (62) parallel to each other, said drive means comprising on the one hand first drive means (65), in particular at least one first pneumatic cylinder, adapted to move the two plates relative to one another in a substantially parallel reciprocating plates, and secondly second drive means (66), in particular a second pneumatic cylinder, adapted to oscillate all of the two plates about an axis (BB) parallel to the plates. 11.- Device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the projection head (T) comprises, upstream of each ejector (53), a device (52) for mechanical drive pinch wire wire between two endless rotary members (54, 55), in particular between a rotating cylinder (54) and a belt (55). 12.- Machine for simultaneous projection of granular material and continuous son on a surface to be covered, characterized in that it comprises a motorized mobile carrier (1), an arrow (7) whose proximal end is articulated on the carrier, and a device according to any one of claims 1 to 11, the support member (32) is suspended at the distal end of the boom. 13.- Machine according to claim 12, characterized in that the arrow (7) is provided with means for rotating the support member (32) about its axis of suspension (X-X). 14. Machine according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that the distal end portion (46) of the boom (7) is bent forwardly. 15.- machine according to any one of claims 12 to 14, characterized in that a follower train (3) of predetermined length is coupled to the rear of the carrier vehicle (1), the follower train carrying a hopper (19) supplying granular material connected to a pneumatic line (28) for supplying the spray nozzle (50). 16.- Machine according to claim 15, characterized in that the hopper (19) is mounted on a load cell (30) connected to granular material flow measurement means. 17. A method of covering a surface (17) with a mixture of granular material and continuous filaments, characterized in that: - a projection device (2) according to any one of claims 1 to 11 is positioned at above a first predetermined pad (18A) of the surface to be coated; the first pad is covered; the head (T) is brought above a second stud (18B) adjacent to the first stud; the overlap of the second stud is made; these operations are repeated until all of said surface (17) has been covered. 18.- A method according to claim 17, characterized in that slaving the positioning time of the projection head (T) on each pad (18A, 18H) flow granular material or wire flow. 19.- A method according to claim 17 or 18, characterized in that enslaved the flow of son flow granular material, or vice versa. 20. A process according to any one of claims 17 to 19, characterized in that the granular material is crushed dry sand.