GB1583574A

GB1583574A - Drilling wagon

Info

Publication number: GB1583574A
Application number: GB2853977A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Mannesmann Demag AG
Current assignee: Mannesmann Demag AG
Priority date: 1977-07-07
Filing date: 1977-07-07
Publication date: 1981-01-28

Description

(54) IMPROVED DRILLING WAGON (71) We, MANNESMANN DEMAG AK TIENGESELLSCHAFT, formerly DEMAG AKTIEN GESELLSCHAFT, of Wolfgang-Reuter-Platz, D4100 Duisburg, Germany, a Body Corporate organised under the laws of the Federal Republic of Germany, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- This invention relates to a drilling wagon for use in underground drilling operations.

In underground work, especially the winning of platinum and gold ores, the ore-bearing beds or seams are frequently so shallow that the drilling wagons usually employed for this purpose cannot be used for drilling bore holes for use in shot firing. It has therefore been necessary hitherto to carry out the drilling operations with hand guided and held drilling hammers, resulting in extraordinarily heavy physical work for the miner concerned.

The present invention seeks to provide a drilling wagon suitable for use in very thin seams and therefore of compact construction and in particular of low weight. This object is achieved in accordance with the invention by a drilling wagon having a rigid frame in the form of a container for hydraulic fluid from each side of which container projects a support on which is pivotally mounted a respective crawler track unit; at least one support arm articulated to the frame and projecting longitudinally of the wagon beyond the crawler track units, the arm carrying a carriage extending substantially perpendicularely to the support arm, the carriage supporting a drilling machine and means for feeding the drilling machine relative to the carriage, the wagon further including hydraulic devices supplied with fluid drawn from said container for operating the crawler track units, tilting each unit relative to its support, and for operating other mechanisms of the drilling wagon.

Preferably, each crawler track unit is equipped with a respective drive means in the form of a hydraulic motor and is pivotally supported on a shaft which constitutes the support projecting from the side of the frame. A piston and cylinder unit may be provided for tilting each crawler track unit relative to the support shaft, and the interior of the container for the hydraulic fluid is in communication with the working chambers of the piston and cylinder units, the chambers being completely filled with the pressure fluid The construction is preferably such that the drilling machine may drill holes at any desired height, even just above the floor, and that the supporting arm together with the carriage on which the drilling machine is guided can be brought into a position which is low enough to enable the wagon to pass through any space high enough to allow the tracks to enter. Preferably, the supporting arm is mounted on the frame so as to be movable about both a horizontal axis and a vertical axis under the operation of drive devices. By moving the supporting arm about the vertical axis, it is possible to change the drilling direction within limits without slewing the drilling wagon itself.

Advantageously, the carriage is pivotal about an axis extending at right angles to the longitudinal direction of the supporting arm and is supported in a bearing at the end of the supporting arm. The pivotal movement takes place between a first limiting position in which the carriage is above the supporting arm and a second limiting position in which the carriage is below the arm. With this arrangement, the range covered by the drilling machine is increased, because the drill rod of the drilling machine can now be inserted into the face both very close to the floor as well as just below the roof, in each case in a direction parallel to both floor and roof, independently of the height of the carriage, by appropriately pivoting the carriage.

The invention will now be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a side view of a drilling wagon embodying the invention, Figure 2 is a plan view of the wagon shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a partial section through the connection between the supporting arm and carriage of the wagon shown in Figure 1 and 2.

Figure 4 is an end view, showing the carriage with drilling machine.

Figure 5 is a section through the feed device for the drilling machine.

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, a drilling wagon embodying the invention including a frame 1 in the form of a tank for oil or other hydraulic fluid. Welded to the sides of the tank are shafts 2 consisting of thick-walled tubes, the weld being reinforced by ribs 3.

Pivotally mounted on the shafts are crawler track units or assemblies 4 and 41 which can be turned by means of hydraulic rams each consisting of a cylinder 5 and piston 5a within certain limits relative to the horizontal plane. The pistons 5a are each connected pivotally at one end to the side of the crawler track assembly and the cylinder to the associated shaft 2. The two rams constitute, together with the tank, a closed hydraulic system, in which the working chambers of the cylinders of the two rams and the interior of the tank are in communication with one another. The chambers are completely filled with pressurised liquid. If, as a consequence of the wagon working on an uneven floor, one end of one of the crawler track assemblies becomes lower or higher than the opposite end, then the position of the piston 5a of the associated ram changes with respect to the cylinder 5 and thus also the volume of the fluid in the cylinder 5 varies. At the same time, the volume of fluid in the other cylinder 5 is varied accordingly, since a constant quantity of fluid is present in the entire system. The opposite crawler track assembly is correspondingly tilted, but in the opposite direction. Thus the crawler tracks adapt themselves automatically to unevenness of the floor, and the drilling wagon maintains its upright position. Each crawler track unit or assembly includes a frame pivoted on the respective shaft 2, an endless track running over wheels on the frame, and a motor 7 for driving the track. The motor is reversible and is coupled to the inner side of the assembly.

Together, the motors control the advancing crawler track and steering movements of the wagon. The drilling wagon is equipped with a central hydraulic system for operating the various drives and consisting of two hydraulic pumps 6, connected to the container 1. For reasons of safety, the pumps are driven by compressed air, supplied through a line, not shown here, such as a hose towed by the wagon. The hydraulic pumps 6 supply the reversible hydraulic drive motors 7 and piston and cylinder units shortly to be described.

As already mentioned, the tank 1 together with the stub shafts 2 form the rigid chassis of the drilling wagon. The walls of the tank 1 are sufficiently thick to give the tank the strength necessary. At each of the end faces, facing in the two directions of travel, of the tank or frame 1, is mounted a pivot arm 8 which carries a carriage 9, extending transversely of the direction of travel of the wagon and equipped with a drilling hammer 28 and drilling tool 10. The carriage 9 and drilling tool 10 and the equipment acting in conjunction therewith will be explained later.

Each pivot arm 8 is mounted in a universal or cardan joint in a projection on the side of the tank or frame 1, to permit the arm 8 to pivot both horizontally and also vertically.

The joint consists of a vertical pin 11, the axis of which lies in the vertical central plane of the drilling wagon, and of a pin 12, the axis of which extends perpendicularly to the axis of the pivot bearing 11 and transversely to the longitudinal axis of the drilling wagon.

As can be seen from Figure 1, the pivot arm bearings are located below the horizontal mid-plane of the drilling wagon. For moving each of the pivot arms 8, a hydraulic piston and cylinder unit is provided, the cylinders 13 and 1 3a of which are also connected by universal or cardan joints to the frame 1. Each such joint, which is located above the support bearing of the pivoting arm 8, consists of a vertical pivot bearing 11, which also serves as bearing for the pivot arm 8, and of a horizontal pin 12a, which is mounted in a bracket 1 la fixed to the pivot bearing 11. The piston 1 3c is hingedly connected to the forked pivot arm 8 by means of a pin 13b.

To produce sideways movement of the pivot arms 8, each arm is associated with a further hydraulic piston and cylinder unit, the cylinder 16 of which is attached to the hydraulic container or frame 1 by means of a universal or cardan joint 14, 15, located to one side of the associated arm 8. The piston 1 6a of this unit is articulated by a vertical pin 16b to the arm 8, close to the end thereof which carries the drilling carriage 9. Thus, the pivot arm 8 together with the drilling carriage 9 can be pivoted in every direction within certain limits.

As can be seen from Figure 3, the forked end of each arm 8 is firmly connected by welding to two coaxially disposed bearing blocks 17a, 17b. In each of the bearing blocks 17a, 17b is a bushing 18 in which a cam shaft driven by a motor 19 is journalled. The shaft is connected to a bushing 23 disposed between the bearing blocks 1 7a and 17b. The motor 19 (for example a pressure fluid driven rotary motor) is firmly connected to bearing block 17b, and has an inlet and outlet 21 and 22 connectable to a pressurised fluid line.

Operation of the motor 19 results in the shaft 20 together with bushing 23 and thus the carriage 24 attached to this bushing, being rotated in either direction as desired.

As- shown in Figure 4, a further pressure fluid-operated piston and cylinder unit 25 is articulated to the widened-out end 20b of pivoting axle 20 remote from the motor 19, and serves to feed or traverse the carriage 9 along the support 24, in which the carriage is slidably guided. The piston rod 25a of the unit 25 is articulated to the end 25b of carriage 9. The carriage 9 is thus traversable along the support in sependence upon the stroke of the piston 25. Independently of this movement, as already explained, the entire carriage can be rotated about shaft 20.

The drilling carriage 9 takes the form of a box girder, the sides of which are made up of channel sections 26. On the top flanges of sections 26 is slidably mounted a slider 27 carrying a hammer drill 28. The drill rod 10, which carries at its end a drilling crown or head, not shown here, is clamped in the chuck of the hammer drill. The drill rod is guided in a guide device 30, fixed to one of the end faces of the carriage 9. The guide device 30 is provided with a spike 31 which bears against the wall during drilling. For feeding the hammer drill, there is provided a piston and cylinder unit 32 having a stationary piston 34 attached to a web 33, firmly connected to the carriage 9. The cylinder 35 of the ram is reciprocable relative to the piston and is guided by means of a guide piece 36 on the top flanges of the channel members 26. In order that the unit 32 may be reasonably short in length, a gearing device is provided consisting of two pairs of chain wheels 37, 38, and two pairs of chains 39, 40. The first pair of chain wheels 37 is provided on the piston side end of the cylinder 35 of the unit 32, while the second pair of chain wheels 38 is rotatably mounted upon the other end of the cylinder 35. The chains 40, running over the wheels 37, are each attached at one end to the slider 27 and at the other end to the carriage 9. In a similar manner, the chains 39, which run over the chain wheels 38 are attached at one end to the carriage 9 and at the other end to the slider 27. During the feed movement of the cylinder 35, the slider 27 together with the hakmer drill 28 mounted thereon travels a distance which is equal to twice the stroke of rhe cylinder 35.

As Figure 5 shows, the piston 34 consists of a number of parts firmly connected together, namely a head 42, a hollow piston rod 43, a tube 44 (disposed inside the piston rod and at a distance from its inner wall), a distributor piece 45 for the pressure fluid, and finally a pin 41, at the right of the drawing.

The fixing of the piston 34 to the carriage 9 is effected by the threaded bolt 41 and a nut 46. The vibrations produced during drilling are elastically accepted by spring packets 47 and 48, which are provided between the piston parts 45 and 46 and the wall 33.

At the free end of the cylinder 35 is provided a guide 36 by which the cylinder 35 is guided on the upper flanges of the carriage.

The piston 34 is sealed to the cylinder 35 by means of sealing elements 50, 51 and 52.

During the forward stroke of cylinder 35, the pressure fluid is fed to the inlet 53 and passes through the central duct 54 into the working chamber 55 of the cylinder 35.

During the return stroke, the pressure fluid is fed to inlet 56 and passes through a short connecting duct 56a into a chamber 57 of annular cross-section formed between piston rod 43 and tube 44. The pressure fluid passes thence through the ducts 58 into the working chamber 59, where the pressure exerted upon the surface 60 causes the return movement of the cylinder 35.

The method of operation of the drilling wagon is as follows: The wagon is moved along the working face to the position at which the shot holes are to be formed. The drill rod 10 is set to the correct height, by adjusting the setting of supporting arm 8 and/or by pivoting the carriage 9 about the end of the supporting arm-and is set in position by appropriately extending the ram 9 so that the carriage is moved by means of the ram 19 towards the working face to be drilled until the stop spike 31 bears against the face. The hammer drill 28 can now be started up and the hole drilled.

It is, of course, possible for both hammer drills to be used simultaneously.

WHAT WE CLAIM IS:- 1. A drilling wagon for use in underground mining, including a rigid frame in the form of a container for hydraulic fluid, from each side of which container projects a support on which is pivotally mounted a respective crawler track unit; at least one support arm articulated to the frame and projecting longitudinally of the wagon beyond the crawler track units, the arm carrying a carriage extending substantially perpendicularly to the support arm, the carriage supporting a drilling machine and means for feeding the drilling machine relative to the carriage, the wagon further including hydraulic devices supplied with fluid drawn from said container for operating the crawler track units, tilting each unit relative to its support, and for operating other mechanisms of the drilling wagon.

2. A drilling wagon according to claim 1, wherein each crawler track unit is equipped with a respective drive means.

3. A drilling wagon according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the support for each crawler track unit is in the form of a shaft projecting from the frame.

4. A drilling wagon according to claim 3, including hydraulic piston and cylinder units for tilting the crawler track units relative to their support shafts, each piston and cylinder

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. As- shown in Figure 4, a further pressure fluid-operated piston and cylinder unit 25 is articulated to the widened-out end 20b of pivoting axle 20 remote from the motor 19, and serves to feed or traverse the carriage 9 along the support 24, in which the carriage is slidably guided. The piston rod 25a of the unit 25 is articulated to the end 25b of carriage 9. The carriage 9 is thus traversable along the support in sependence upon the stroke of the piston 25. Independently of this movement, as already explained, the entire carriage can be rotated about shaft 20. The drilling carriage 9 takes the form of a box girder, the sides of which are made up of channel sections 26. On the top flanges of sections 26 is slidably mounted a slider 27 carrying a hammer drill 28. The drill rod 10, which carries at its end a drilling crown or head, not shown here, is clamped in the chuck of the hammer drill. The drill rod is guided in a guide device 30, fixed to one of the end faces of the carriage 9. The guide device 30 is provided with a spike 31 which bears against the wall during drilling. For feeding the hammer drill, there is provided a piston and cylinder unit 32 having a stationary piston 34 attached to a web 33, firmly connected to the carriage 9. The cylinder 35 of the ram is reciprocable relative to the piston and is guided by means of a guide piece 36 on the top flanges of the channel members 26. In order that the unit 32 may be reasonably short in length, a gearing device is provided consisting of two pairs of chain wheels 37, 38, and two pairs of chains 39, 40. The first pair of chain wheels 37 is provided on the piston side end of the cylinder 35 of the unit 32, while the second pair of chain wheels 38 is rotatably mounted upon the other end of the cylinder 35. The chains 40, running over the wheels 37, are each attached at one end to the slider 27 and at the other end to the carriage 9. In a similar manner, the chains 39, which run over the chain wheels 38 are attached at one end to the carriage 9 and at the other end to the slider 27. During the feed movement of the cylinder 35, the slider 27 together with the hakmer drill 28 mounted thereon travels a distance which is equal to twice the stroke of rhe cylinder 35. As Figure 5 shows, the piston 34 consists of a number of parts firmly connected together, namely a head 42, a hollow piston rod 43, a tube 44 (disposed inside the piston rod and at a distance from its inner wall), a distributor piece 45 for the pressure fluid, and finally a pin 41, at the right of the drawing. The fixing of the piston 34 to the carriage 9 is effected by the threaded bolt 41 and a nut 46. The vibrations produced during drilling are elastically accepted by spring packets 47 and 48, which are provided between the piston parts 45 and 46 and the wall 33. At the free end of the cylinder 35 is provided a guide 36 by which the cylinder 35 is guided on the upper flanges of the carriage. The piston 34 is sealed to the cylinder 35 by means of sealing elements 50, 51 and 52. During the forward stroke of cylinder 35, the pressure fluid is fed to the inlet 53 and passes through the central duct 54 into the working chamber 55 of the cylinder 35. During the return stroke, the pressure fluid is fed to inlet 56 and passes through a short connecting duct 56a into a chamber 57 of annular cross-section formed between piston rod 43 and tube 44. The pressure fluid passes thence through the ducts 58 into the working chamber 59, where the pressure exerted upon the surface 60 causes the return movement of the cylinder 35. The method of operation of the drilling wagon is as follows: The wagon is moved along the working face to the position at which the shot holes are to be formed. The drill rod 10 is set to the correct height, by adjusting the setting of supporting arm 8 and/or by pivoting the carriage 9 about the end of the supporting arm-and is set in position by appropriately extending the ram 9 so that the carriage is moved by means of the ram 19 towards the working face to be drilled until the stop spike 31 bears against the face. The hammer drill 28 can now be started up and the hole drilled. It is, of course, possible for both hammer drills to be used simultaneously. WHAT WE CLAIM IS:-

1. A drilling wagon for use in underground mining, including a rigid frame in the form of a container for hydraulic fluid, from each side of which container projects a support on which is pivotally mounted a respective crawler track unit; at least one support arm articulated to the frame and projecting longitudinally of the wagon beyond the crawler track units, the arm carrying a carriage extending substantially perpendicularly to the support arm, the carriage supporting a drilling machine and means for feeding the drilling machine relative to the carriage, the wagon further including hydraulic devices supplied with fluid drawn from said container for operating the crawler track units, tilting each unit relative to its support, and for operating other mechanisms of the drilling wagon.

unit being articulated at one end to one of the crawler track units and at the opposite end to the frame.

5. A drilling wagon according to claim 4 wherein the interior of the container for the pressure fluid is in communication with the working chambers of the piston and cylinder units for tilting the crawler track units, which chambers are completely filled with the pressure fluid.

6. A drilling wagon according to any preceding claim, wherein the support arm is mounted on the frame for movement about a horizontal axis and also about a vertical axis under the operation of drive means.

7. A drilling wagon according to any preceding claim, wherein the carriage is pivotal about an axis extending perpendicularly to the longitudinal direction of the support arm in a pivot bearing mounted at the end of the support arm, between a first limiting position in which the carriage is above the end of the support arm and a second limiting position in which the carriage is below the arm.

8. A drilling wagon according to any preceding claim, wherein the drive means for moving the support arm in the vertical plane consists of a piston and cylinder unit, the piston rod of which is articulated to the support arm and the cylinder of which is articulated to a vertical pin mounted in the frame and to which the support arm is also connected.

9. A drilling wagon according to claim 8, wherein drive means for moving the support arm in the horizontal plane consists of a piston and cylinder unit, the piston rod of which is articulated to the support arm and the cylinder of which is articulated laterally to the vertical pin.

10. A drilling wagon according to any preceding claim, wherein a drive means for moving a hammer drill along the carriage consists of a piston and cylinder unit, one of the components of which is attached to the carriage while the other is attached to a slider of the hammer drill.

11. A drilling wagon according to any of claims 1 to 9, wherein a slider carrying a hammer drill and drilling tool is connected to a reciprocable cylinder of a piston and cylinder unit by means of two pairs of chains each comprising two endless chains disposed alongside each other, one pair of chains being guided around a pair of chain wheels disposed at one end of the reciprocable cylinder and the second pair of chains being guided around a pair of chain wheels disposed at the other end of the cylinder.

12. A drilling wagon according to any preceding claim, including a second support arm for a carriage and drilling machine, the two arms being connected to the frame at positions disposed symmetrically with respect to the central plane of the drilling wagon.

13. A drilling wagon for use in underground drilling operations comprising a rigid frame formed as a container for hydraulic fluid and provided on each side with a shaft on which is pivotally mounted a crawler track assembly having its own drive means, two supporting arms each articulated to said frame, the points of articulation for the supporting anns to the frame being symmetrical about the central transverse plane of the wagon, hydraulic means for moving the supporting arms universally relative to the frame, a carriage mounted on each arm, each carriage extending substantially perpendicularly to the direction of travel of the wagon, hydraulic means for rotating the carriage about an axis parallel to its longitudinal axis, and hydraulic means for axially displacing the carriage, a hammer drill guided on the carriage, hydraulic means for driving a tool of the hammer drill, and hydraulic means for moving the hammer drill along the carriage, each said hydraulic means operated by fluid drawn from said container.

14. A drilling wagon substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.