GB2506584A

GB2506584A - Detection of buried or hidden objects

Info

Publication number: GB2506584A
Application number: GB201215752A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Mark Darren Broadhurst
Original assignee: ANDREW DAVID HOLT
Current assignee: ANDREW DAVID HOLT
Priority date: 2012-09-04
Filing date: 2012-09-04
Publication date: 2014-04-09
Also published as: GB201215752D0

Abstract

An excavator includes an oscillatable jib, on which is mounted an arm and on the lower end portion of which is mounted a tool in the form of an excavating bucket. A detecting device, which continually scans the soil around the tool, is mounted at the lower end portion of the arm, so as to detect for a potentially dangerous or disruptive buried objects, which may be an electrical power cable or a telephone cable. The detecting device is capable of detecting the presence of metal, such as copper, or of an electrical field, generated by the cable. Proximity of the buried object may cause a warning to be given to an operator of the machine or stop movement of the machine.

Description

Apparatus And Method This invention relates to detection of potentially dangerous or disruptive matter, which may be hidden or buried objects, or gas or water, for example.

It is known to detect the presence of electrical cables by sweeping over the ground of a site to be excavated devices for detecting metal or electrical fields.

Unfortunately, this cannot be relied upon and, frequently, is shown to have been ineffective when an excavating machine rips through an undetected cable, with risk of injury or death of workmen and with serious financial cost to the excavating firm.

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an excavating machine having an oscillatable arm upon a lower end portion of which is mounted an excavating tool, and a detecting device mounted at said lower end portion and adapted to detect the presence of potentially dangerous or disruptive matter.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method comprising providing, at a lower end portion of an oscillatable arm of an excavating machine, an excavating tool and a detecting device, and, during excavating using said machine, utilizing said detecting device to detect the presence of potentially dangerous or disruptive mailer.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a material-removing machine on which is provided a detecting device adapted to detect the presence of any one or more of buried metal, an electrical field generated by a buried electrical cable, gas or water.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method comprising providing on a material-removing machine a detecting device adapted to detect the presence of any one or more of buried metal, an electrical field generated by a buried electrical cable, gas or water.

Owing to the present invention, it is possible to reduce injury or death of workmen, damage to material-removing machines or buried objects, and disruption of construction or demolition in general.

The buried object may be an electrical power cable or telephone cable, in which case the detecting device may be capable of detecting the presence of metal, such as copper, or of an electrical field, such as generated by a power cable, or a telephone cable.

The machine may be an excavator including an oscillatable jib, on the outer end portion of which is mounted an upper end portion of an arm on the lower end portion of which is swingingly mounted a tool in the form of an excavating bucket-The detecting device, which may continually scan the soil around the tool, is mounted at the lower end portion of the arm, so as to place the device at an optimum location to take into account the following factors:- (i) The risk of damage to the device; the nearer it is to the active part of the tool, the greater the need to shield the device physically heavily against damage, when, the heavier the shielding, often the lower the sensitivity of the device, and (ii) The further the detector from the tool, the lower the reliability of detection because of distance from the cable and lesser certainty as to the actual position of the cable.

Detection of the cable advantageously results in stopping of movement of the tool relative to the cable, which can best be achieved by stopping of movement of the machine, the jib, the arm and the tool relative to the ground, upon detection of the cable by the device. Additionally or alternatively, the device may cause a warning to be given to the operator of the machine.

Claims

CLAIMS1. An excavating machine having an oscillatable arm upon a lower end portion ofwhich is mounted an excavating tool, and a detecting device mounted at said lower end portion and adapted to detect the presence of potentially dangerous or disruptive matter.
2. A machine according to claim 1, wherein said detecting device is capable of detecting the presence of metal, such as copper, or of an electrical field, such as generated by a power cable, or a telephone cable.
3. A machine according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said machine includes an oscillatable jib, on the outer end portion of which is mounted an upper end portion of'said arm on said lower end portion of which is swingingly mounted said tool.
4. A machine according to any preceding claim, wherein detection by said detecting device results in stopping of movement of the tool relative to the matter.
5. A machine according to claim 4, wherein said stopping of movement of the tool relative to the matter is achieved by stopping of movement of the machine, the arm and the tool relative to the ground.
6. A machine according to any preceding claim, wherein detection by said detecting device results in a warning being given to an operator of the machine.
7. A method comprising providing, at a lower end portion of an osciltatable arm of an excavating machine, an excavating tool and a detecting device, and, during excavating using said machine, utilizing said detecting device to detect the presence of potentially dangerous or disruptive matter.
8. A method according to claim 7, and detecting the presence of metal or of an electrical field, such as generated by an electric cable.
9. A method according to claim 7 or 8, wherein detection results in stopping of movement of the tool relative to the matter.
10. A machine according to claim 9, wherein said stopping of movement of the tool relative to the mailer is achieved by stopping of movement of the machine, the arm and the tool relative to the ground.
11. A machine according to any one of claims 7 to 10, wherein detection results in a warning being given to an operator of the machine.
12. A material-removing machine on which is provided a detecting device adapted to detect the presence of any one or more of buried metal, an electrical field generated by a buried electrical cable, gas and water.
13. A machine according to claim 12, wherein detection results in stopping of movement of the machine.
14. A machine according to claim 12 or 13, wherein detection results in a warning being given to an operator of the machine.

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15. A method comprising providing on a material-removing machine a detecting *:" device adapted to detect the presence of any one or more of buried metal, an electrical field generated by a buried electrical cable, gas and water. * * ***
16. A method according to claim 15, wherein detection results in stopping of movement of the machine.
17. A method according to claim 15 or 16, wherein detection results in a warning being given to an operator of the machine.
18. A machine, substantially in accordance with any example hereinbefore described.
19. A detecting method, substantially in accordance with any example hereinbefore described. * . . * * ***. * S *0*S*tS * SS*OS*SS * S * S S *SS