GB2535479A

GB2535479A - Supports

Info

Publication number: GB2535479A
Application number: GB1502617.2A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Boyd Patrick
Original assignee: Pile Breaking Systems (uk) Ltd
Current assignee: Pile Breaking Systems (uk) Ltd
Priority date: 2015-02-17
Filing date: 2015-02-17
Publication date: 2016-08-24
Also published as: GB201502617D0

Abstract

A support for a drill 22, 30 includes a chassis 20 adapted to removably receive a drill 22, 30 and means for detachably affixing, in use, the chassis 20 to a back actor of plant 70 e.g. construction site machinery, such as a digger. The support may comprise a chassis in the form of spaced apart rails 12 to removably receive the drill, 22, 30. The drill may include an air nozzle for removing debris from the drilling site.

Description

Title: Supports

Description:

This invention relates to supports, and in particular, but without limitation, to supports for drills suitable for breaking concrete, piles and rocks, as well as to drilling systems incorporating the same.

On many construction sites, it is necessary to drill into rock and concrete and this is generally done using a hand-held drill. Known hand-held drills, in particular, percussion drills or pneumatic/hydraulic drills are held by an operator, in use, and enable the drill bit to be positioned, and angled, at will.

However, hand-held drills, especially those suitable for drilling into concrete and/or rock, tend to be heavy and cumbersome, which places a great deal of strain on the users of such machinery. As such, operatives quickly tire when using hand-held drills, which restricts the amount of time that a hand-held drill can be used on site by a single operative.

Further, in a hand-held drill, vibration from the drill bit is transmitted to the operative's hands, which not only necessitates a tiring, tight grip on the tool, but can also lead to medical complications, such as "white knuckle syndrome", when a hand-held drill is used over extended periods. As a result, the amount of time that a user is able and/or allowed to operate a hand-held drill is restricted (in many countries, by legislation) and this means that a team of operatives needs to be employed on-site because each operative is only permitted a limited amount of time, per day, on the equipment. Further, an operative stood immediately adjacent the rock or concrete that is being drilled his placed at increased risk of injury in the unlikely event that shards of rock/concrete are ejected from the drilling site or in the event that pieces of rock/concrete fall away during the drilling operation.

It will be appreciated from the foregoing, therefore, that hand-held drills, and in particular those used on construction sites for drilling rocks and/or concrete, pose significant hazards to operatives and that a need therefore exists for a solution to one or more of the above problems, and/or for alternative type of drill.

In order to address some of the above problems, it is known to provide a support frame for a drill, which support frame comprises a chassis for holding the drill, and which has wheels, tracks or feet that enable the chassis to be positioned at a desired location. By such means, the drill can be operated from a remote location, for example using a remote control unit at the distal end of a fly lead, which enables an operative to stand away from the drill whilst it is in use. Known chassis-supported drills of this type sometimes further comprise actuators or servos that enable the drill tip to be advanced into the concrete/rock thus avoiding the need for an operative to repeatedly reposition the unit during a drilling operation. Nevertheless, known support frames for hand-held drills tend to have limited use because they still require an operative to physically manhandle it into position, and when positioned, the drilling heights and/or angles afforded by such known units tend to be limited.

Augers are also known, which comprise a drill suspended by its upper end from, for example, the back actor (also known as a "backhoe" or "rear actor") of a digger or other plant. The auger comprises an elongate drill bit, which hangs from a drill motor, and which has a slow-revolving, spade-type flutes that cut into the ground. In order to ensure vertical drilling (e.g. for piles), augers are pivotally suspended from their upper ends to ensure that the direction of drilling is vertical. It is not possible to cant an auger because this would simply cause the flutes to "walk" across the ground surface, rather than cutting into it to drill the required hole.

A need exists for an improved drill suitable for drilling into concrete and/or rock, and/or for an alternative to known drills that can be used on construction sites.

Various aspects of the invention are set forth in the appendent claims.

According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided a support for a drill comprising a chassis adapted to removably receive a drill and means for detachably affixing, in use, the chassis to a back actor of plant.

According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided plant comprising a back actor, a drill and a support for the drill, the support comprising a chassis adapted to removably receive the drill and means for detachably affixing, in use, the chassis to the back actor.

Thus, in embodiments of the invention, a drill can be mounted to the back actor of plant (e.g. construction site machinery, such as a digger) and manipulated from a remote location by operation of the back actor. Such a configuration enables the drill to be positioned and/or angled and/or advanced or retracted by operation of the back actor, rather than by manual manipulation of the drill itself. Suitably, this means that an operator can be sited away from the drill, during use, i.e. out of harm's way, and the operator is not subjected to the risks associated with manual handling of the drill, either into position, or during a drilling operation. Because the operator is not in contact with the drill directly, during use, time restrictions that can often be imposed on the use of drills may not be applicable. Thus, the invention, in certain embodiments, enables a drill to be used for longer periods, in relative safety and without some of the usual problems associated with using a hand-held drill.

Suitably, the chassis comprises a pair of spaced-apart, substantially parallel rails, to which the drill is detachably affixed. Such a configuration is particularly suited to retaining having an elongate, e.g. generally cylindrical form, because the drill can rest on, and between the rails. In certain embodiments of the invention, the drill can easily self-centre on the rails.

Suitably, the spaced-apart, substantially parallel rails, where provided, project forwards an in front of the drill. Suitably, by having a part of the chassis that projects forward of the drill, a chuck of the drill can be protected.

Suitably, one or more saddle brackets is provided for clamping the drill to the chassis. The saddle bracket, in certain embodiments, may comprise a generally U-shaped member that wraps around a part of the drill, and which can be screwed or bolted into position to clamp the drill to the chassis.

The support is adapted for detachable affixing, in use, to a back actor of plant. In certain embodiments of the invention, this can be accomplished by the provision of a pair of spaced-apart wing portions that extend from the chassis, and which comprise suitably fixtures for detachably connecting the wings (i.e. the support) to a back actor. Suitably, the fixtures may comprise a set of suitably located and sized holes, bosses or other formations adapted to connect to corresponding fittings of the free end of the back actor. Suitably, when the support is affixed to the back actor, there is a rigid interconnection between the support and the free end of the back actor, such that manipulation of the free end of the back actor results in corresponding movements of the support, and hence the drill.

The drill can be of any suitably type. However, in preferred embodiments of the invention, the drill comprises a pneumatic drill, but preferably a hydraulic drill, and most preferably, a high speed hydraulic drill. Thus, the invention is distinguished over an auger, for example, which only has a slow-turning drill. The speed and/or direction of the drill is suitably controllable from a remote location, such as from the cab of the plant. This can be accomplished by the provision of a foot-actuated controller, whereby the extent of depression of the controller determines the hydraulic flow rate, and hence the speed of the drill.

The drill suitably comprises a chuck. The drill suitably comprises an annular nozzle surrounding the drill bit, in use, through which annular nozzle, pressurised air can be blown to remove debris from the drilling site at the tip of the drill. In certain embodiments of the invention, the drill comprises a percussion (or hammer) drill.

An embodiment of the invention shall now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a support in accordance with the invention, with a drill affixed thereto; Figure 2 is a perspective view from below of the support of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a partial perspective view from behind of the support of Figure 1; and Figure 4 is a schematic side view of the support of Figures 1 to 3 affixed, in use, to a back actor.

S

Referring now to Figures 1 to 3 of the drawings, a support 10 in accordance with the invention comprises a chassis portion formed by a pair of spaced apart, parallel, square cross-sectioned steel tubes 12, interconnected at their rear ends 14 by a steel end plate 16, and in two axial positons by steel cross-bars 18. The end plate 16 and cross-bars 18 are welded to the tubes 12 to form a rigid, durable chassis 20 for supporting a drill 22.

The drill 22 comprises a hydraulic motor 24, which is driven by externally-pressurised hydraulic fluid, which is fed to the drill 22 via a set of hydraulic hoses 26. Typically, the plant (not shown) comprises a hydraulic pump, having an inlet and an outlet to which respective return and feed hoses 26 can be connected. The pressure and/or flow rate of the hydraulic fluid is typically controllable an operator of the plant, for example, using a variable foot pedal (not shown).

The drill 22 additionally comprises a chuck 28 for receiving the tip of a drill bit 30. The chuck 28 is spring-loaded and is operable by a lever 32, which when lowered (it is shown in the unlocked/raised position in the drawings) clamps the driven output of the drill 22 to the drill bit 30. The shape of the chuck lever 32 comprises a cut-out portion 34 that partially surrounds the drill bit 30 when in the lowered position, and this locates slightly in front of an axial retaining flange 36 of the drill bit 30 to prevent the drill bit 30 from disconnecting from the chuck 28. The drill bit 30 is fluted or suitably keyed to permit the effective transmission of rotational torque from the chuck 28 to the drill bit 30.

It will be noted from Figures 1 and 2, in particular, of the drawings, that the front ends 40 of the chassis tubes 12 are angled slightly, which reduces the chances of "digging" the support 10 into soft ground if it is advanced whilst being placed on the ground. It will also be noted, in particular from Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings, that the front ends 40 of the chassis tubes 12 project slightly forward of the chuck 28. This configuration inhibits or prevents contact between the chuck 28 (and in particular the chuck lever 32) and a surface being drilled, during a drilling operation, which might otherwise cause damage to the chuck 28 or drill 22 and/or inadvertently raise the chuck lever 32, thereby releasing the drill bit 30 from the chuck 28.

The drill 22 additionally comprises a connection for an airline 48, which can feed a supply of cooling air to the drill 22 to keep it within normal operating temperature ranges, and/or which can discharge air, via a nozzle (e.g. an annular nozzle) adjacent the chuck 28 so that debris from the drilling site can be blown away, thereby avoiding the need to retract and re-advance the drill bit 30, at intervals, during a drilling operation.

The support 10 further comprises a pair of wing members 50 manufactured from steel plate, which are welded (in the illustrated embodiment) to the chassis tubes 12. The wing members 50 are interconnected by a cross tube 52 to keep their free ends 54 in a rigidly spaced-apart, parallel configuration. The free ends 54 of the wing members 50 comprise a set of internal locating tubes 56 that are coaxial, and communicate, with though holes 58. These locating tubes 56 and through holes 58 are located and sized to correspond with complementary fixings of a back actor (for which see Figure 4 of the drawings). Likewise, an outwardly-projecting boss 60 is provided on each of the wing portions 50, for similar purposes.

Referring now to Figure 3 of the drawings, it can be seen that the drill 22 can be affixed to the chassis 20 by way of a set of generally U-shaped saddle brackets 62 made from bent steel plate. The saddle brackets 62 wrap around parts of the drill, and when their free ends 64 are bolted to the cross bars 18 by bolts 66, the drill 22 is causes to be clamped between the crossbars 18 and the saddle brackets 62 and/or to locate against the upper inside edges 68 of the chassis tubes 12. Also visible in Figure 3 of the drawings are some of the hydraulic and pneumatic connections for the drill 22.

Referring now to Figure 4, the support 10 has been affixed to the back actor 70 of plant (not shown) using locking pins inserted through the through holes 58 and tubes 56 of the wing portions 50, and into corresponding holes (not visible) of the free end 72 of the back actor 70. Thus, a rigid interconnection is made between the free end 72 of the back actor 70 and the support 10 of the invention, thus enabling the drill bit 30 to be manipulated directly by an operator controlling the back actor 70. The free end 72 of the back actor 70 is controllable in various directions, enabling the elevation 74 of the drill bit 30 above a ground surface 76 to be anything from a few centimetres (which is not possible using any known drill supports) to the maximum elevation determined by the "reach" of the back actor 70. Further, due to the rigid interconnection between the wing portions 50 of the support 10 and the free end 72 of the back actor 70, it is also possible to tilt the drill bit 30 through a range of angles 73, which, depending on the type and configuration of the back actor 70 to be anything from horizontal 75, to horizontal +/-90 degrees (a range of movement that is not possible using any single, known drill support).

It will also be noted from Figure 4, that the operator is out of harm's way (i.e. inside the confines of the cab) and that the drill 22 can be controlled remotely also via the hydraulic hose 26 that connects to the plant (not shown). Also, when the drill is not in use, the support 10, and in particular, the chassis tubes 12 of the chassis 20 support the drill 22 of the ground and the wing portions 50 protect the drill 12 from the sides and above, thereby guarding the drill 22 against accidental damage. Further, due to the detachability of the drill 22 from the chassis 20, it is possible to interchange the drill 22 as and when needed, thus obviating the need for several supports 10 for several drills 22, and due to the detachable connection of the support 10 to the back actor 70, a single support can be shared between several plant on site.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiments, which are merely exemplary of the invention. For example, the shape and configuration, materials of manufacture and any dimensions (whether express or implied) are illustrative of the invention.

Claims

Claims: 1. A support for a drill comprising a chassis adapted to removably receive a drill and means for detachably affixing, in use, the chassis to a back actor of plant.
2. A drilling system comprising plant having a back actor; a drill; and a support for the drill, the support comprising a chassis adapted to removably receive the drill and means for detachably affixing, in use, the chassis to the back actor.
3. The drilling system or support of claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the chassis comprises a pair of spaced-apart, substantially parallel rails, to which the drill is detachably affixable.
4. The drilling system or support of claim 3, wherein the spaced-apart, substantially parallel rails comprise a forward end that projects forward, and in front of the drill.
5. The drilling system or support of claim 4, wherein the forward end projects forward of a chuck of the drill.
6. The drilling system or support of any preceding claim, comprising one or more saddle brackets for clamping the drill to the chassis.
7. The drilling system or support of claim 6, wherein the or each saddle bracket comprises a generally U-shaped member that wraps around a part of the drill, and which can be screwed or bolted into position to clamp the drill to the chassis.
8. The drilling system or support of any preceding claim, wherein the support comprises a pair of spaced-apart wing portions that extend from the chassis, and which comprise suitable fixtures for detachably connecting the wings to a back actor.
9. The drilling system or support of claim 8, wherein the fixtures comprise a set of suitably located and sized holes, bosses or other formations adapted to connect to corresponding fittings of a free end of the back actor.
10. The drilling system or support of any preceding claim, wherein, when the support is affixed to the back actor, a rigid interconnection is formed between the support and a free end of the back actor, such that manipulation of the free end of the back actor results in corresponding movements of the support, and hence the drill.
11. The drilling system or support of any preceding claim, wherein the drill comprises a pneumatic drill.
12. The drilling system or support of any of claims 1 to 10, wherein the drill comprises a hydraulic drill.
13. The drilling system or support of claim 12, wherein the drill comprises a high speed hydraulic drill.
14. The drilling system of any of claims 2 to 13, further comprising a speed controller for the drill.
15. The drilling system of claim 14, wherein the speed controller comprises a foot-actuated controller, whereby the extent of depression of the controller determines a hydraulic flow rate of hydraulic fluid to the drill.
16. The drilling system or support of any preceding claim, wherein the drill comprises a chuck for detachably receiving a drill bit.
17. The drilling system or support of claim 16, wherein the chuck is spring-loaded and is operable by a chuck lever, which when lowered connects a driven output of the drill to the drill bit, and wherein the chuck lever comprises a cut-out portion that, when in a locking position, at least partially surrounds the drill bit and which locates slightly in front of an axial retaining flange of the drill bit.
18. The drilling system or support of any preceding claim, wherein drill comprises an air nozzle adjacent the drill bit, in use, through which nozzle, pressurised air can be blown to remove debris from the drilling site at the tip of the drill bit.
19. The drilling system of any of claims 2 to 18, wherein the drill comprises a hydraulic motor, which is driven by externally-pressurised hydraulic fluid, which is fed to the drill via a set of hydraulic hoses, and wherein the plant comprises a hydraulic pump, having an inlet and an outlet to which respective return and feed hydraulic hoses can be connected, and wherein the pressure and/or flow rate of the hydraulic fluid is controllable by a variable foot pedal.
20. The drilling system or support of any of claims 3 to 18, wherein the front ends of the chassis rails are angled or chamfered.
21. A drilling system or support substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.