GB2592260A

GB2592260A - Drilling apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2592260A
Application number: GB2002492.3A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Pointon Michael
Original assignee: Keltbray Ltd
Current assignee: Keltbray Ltd
Priority date: 2020-02-21
Filing date: 2020-02-21
Publication date: 2021-08-25
Also published as: GB202002492D0

Abstract

The drilling apparatus 1, and a kit of parts, for drilling a pattern of holes includes a platform 3, an arm 7, and a drilling head 9. The drilling head is mounted on the arm, which is mounted on the platform. The arm is manoeuvrable relative to the platform to position the drill head 9. The drilling head comprises drilling units 17a, 17b, 17c, 17d, each having a respective drill bit 19a, 19b, 19c, 19d. A frame 21 is for receiving the drilling units and for locating the drilling units such that the drill bits are arranged in the pattern. The drilling units may each comprise an SDS power drill. The arm may be pivotally mounted on the platform and/or be rotatable about three perpendicular axes relative to the platform, to position the drill head. The arm may be articulated and/or may allow the drilling head to be translatable along at least one axis relative to the platform. The arm may be configured for the drilling head to be manoeuvrable about six degrees of freedom. The platform may be provided on a railway maintenance vehicle. A template with a pattern of holes may be used to guide the drill bits.

Description

DRILLING APPARATUS

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to drilling apparatus for drilling a pattern of holes. The invention also relates to a method of drilling a plurality of holes, and a kit of parts for drilling a plurality of holes.

Background of the Invention

In the field of construction, for example, railway maintenance and construction, it is often required to efficiently drill a large number of holes accurately and efficiently. Drilling surfaces are not always be easily accessible, as the drilling surfaces may be part of engineering structures that may be high up, or at awkward angles. It may be necessary to drill a particular pattern of holes, or a repetitive pattern of holes with a particular spacing, with a high degree of accuracy.

Traditional drilling methods may require manual use of a power drill such as an SDS drill. A user may prepare a template at a drilling surface, and may manually position the drill for use using the template. However, this often leads to error, as the user may be required to prepare templates at hard-to-reach angles, on uneven surfaces, and the user may make mistakes in preparing or positioning the template. Furthermore, the user may struggle to reach the angles-of-attack required or may inaccurately position the drill.

Traditional methods that require manual positioning and use of a power drill are also inefficient and can lead to inaccuracies when drilling a plurality of holes. When drilling each hole independently, it can be difficult to ensure that a constant angle-ofattack is maintained, and it can be difficult to ensure a consistent spacing between holes. Manually positioning and repositioning the template to drill each hole may be time consuming and inefficient, requiring a high degree of care and precision each time the template is repositioned.

Various solutions to address some of these problems have been proposed in the prior art Multi-spindle drill heads are known, which allow a plurality of holes to be drilled simultaneously. However, if a different number of holes are required, or a different pattern of holes are required, the drill head will typically need to be removed and replaced by a different drill head comprising a different number or arrangement of spindles/drill bits. Multi-spindle drill heads also typically have limited capability to drill through tough materials such as concrete.

Bench-mounted multi-head drills are also known, wherein multiple drill heads may be arranged in a frame. These bench-mounted drills enable a plurality of holes to be simultaneously drilled. However, bench-mounted drills have limited capabilities to reposition the drill heads to enable a repetitive pattern of holes to be reproduced, and are not typically suitable for use in construction where the drilling locations are difficult to reach.

Drills mounted on articulated arms are also known. However, known arm-mounted drills typically provide a limited range of motion, and do not enable a plurality of holes to be drilled simultaneously. Known arm mounted drills cannot typically be used to access railway construction sites or road construction sites. -is it worth mentioning a machine integrated approach here? Therefore there remains a need in the field to develop an improved drilling apparatus for use in the construction industry, which enables a pattern of holes to be efficiently and accurately drilled.

The present invention seeks to mitigate the above-mentioned problems.

Summary of the Invention

According to a first aspect, the invention provides a drilling apparatus for drilling a pattern of holes. The apparatus comprises a platform, an arm, and, a drilling head.

The drilling head is mounted on the arm and the arm is mounted on the platform, such that the arm is manoeuvrable relative to the platform to position the drill head. The drilling head comprises a plurality of drilling units, each drilling unit comprising a respective drill bit, and a frame for receiving the drilling units and for locating the drilling units such that drill bits are arranged in the pattern. The frame enables the plurality of drilling units to be received and located in a pre-determined pattern, which reflects the pattern of holes that is required to be drilled. This may improve accuracy and efficiency when drilling a pre-determined pattern of holes. Uncertainties or inaccuracies which may be introduced each time a drill head is repositioned are reduced/avoided. Furthermore, the frame may hold the drilling units securely in the pattern, preventing or limiting deviation from the required angle of attack or required hole spacing. Drilling the pattern of holes without repositioning the drill head may also improve efficiency, eliminating the need to reposition a template and reposition the drill head in order to drill each hole, and enabling the holes to be drilled simultaneously. Mounting the drilling head on a manoeuvrable arm allows the drilling pattern to be efficiently reproduced at different locations, for example, allowing a repetitive pattern to be produced at a drilling surface. The manoeuvrable arm allows the drilling units to reach a wide range of heights and angles thus enabling patterns of holes to be drilled at a wide range of construction sites.

The drilling apparatus may be operated manually, or may be operated using remote control. The drilling apparatus may be operated by a robot, which may itself by remotely controlled, or may be operated using artificial intelligence. The drilling apparatus may comprise one or more sensors, for tracking and/or monitoring the movement of the drill head.

Each of the plurality of drilling units may comprise an SDS power drill. The power drill may be suitable for manual use, and therefore may comprise a trigger for supplying power to a motor. Each of the plurality of drilling units may be independently connected to a power supply. For example, each drilling unit may be connected to a mains power supply via a cable. This may enable each of the drilling units to easily be swapped, replaced or reconfigured within the frame. For example, individual drilling units may be swapped/removed for service or repair. Alternatively, -4 -the drilling apparatus may comprise a central power unit, which may transmit power to each of the plurality of drilling units. The central power unit may be connected to a mains power supply.

The arm may be pivotally mounted on the platform, to allow the arm to pivot relative to the platform. Pivotally mounting the arm such that the arm can pivot relative to the platform may enable the drilling head to reach drilling surfaces that may be difficult to access, for example, surfaces at awkward angles. Pivotally mounting the arm may enable different drilling surfaces, or different areas of a drilling surface to be reached without needing to move the platform. This may enable more efficient drilling of a repetitive pattern without needing to move the platform.

The arm may be configured to be rotatable about three perpendicular axes relative to the platform, to position the drill head. The arm may be pivotally mounted, or mounted using a ball and socket joint to enable rotation about three perpendicular axes relative to the platform, thereby increasing the range of angles that the arm can reach. This may allow the drilling head to reach a greater range of drilling surfaces.

The arm may be an articulated arm comprising a joint that allows at least a portion of the arm to rotate relative to the platform The arm may comprise a joint that enables rotation about three perpendicular axes.

The arm may be configured to allow the drilling head to be translatable along at least one axis relative to the platform, to allow the drill head to be moved towards a drilling surface. The arm may be extendible, such that it can extend towards a drilling surface, along at least one axis. This may enable the drilling head to reach a range of heights that may be difficult to reach manually, and may enable multiple locations to be reached without moving the platform. Using a combination of extension and rotation, the arm may be able to reposition the drilling head at different points along or across a drilling surface. The drilling apparatus may comprise an actuator connected to the arm that causes the drilling head to translate along at least one axis relative to the platform. The actuator may extend the arm or may cause the arm to translate. The actuator may be a hydraulic actuator. The arm may be configured to -5 -allow the drilling head to be translatable along three perpendicular directions relative to the platform. The arm may be extendible along three perpendicular directions relative to the platform. The drilling apparatus may comprise multiple actuators for extending the arm along the three perpendicular directions.

The arm may be configured such that the drilling head is manoeuvrable about/in six degrees of freedom. The six degrees of freedom refer to the freedom of movement of a rigid body in three-dimensional space. Three of these movements are translational movements along an axis, and may be referred to as up/down, forward/backward, and right/left. The other three are rotational movements about an axis, and may be referred to as roll, yaw and pitch. A combination of rotational and translational movements of the arm may be obtained using for example, actuators and articulated joints. The flexibility provided by the arm enables the drilling head to reach a wide range of drilling locations and drilling surfaces at different angles, without the need for manual movement of the drilling head or drilling units, and without the need to re-position the platform. This enables efficient drilling, particularly in cases where it is desirable to drill the pattern in at multiple surfaces, or at different parts of a surface, for example, in a periodic pattern.

The platform may be provided on a vehicle. The platform may be provided on the back of a lorry, a construction vehicle, such as a bobcat. The platform may be provided on a trailer which may be attached to a lorry or a tractor. The platform may be provided on a crane. The vehicle may be a railway maintenance vehicle. The vehicle may be suitable for travelling on railway tracks. This may enable the drilling apparatus to be used as part of railway construction and maintenance, for example, in tunnels.

The frame may be removable, such that the frame can be interchanged with a second different frame for receiving a plurality of drilling units and locating the drilling units, such that the drill bits are arranged in a second different pattern. The frame receives the drilling units and locates the drilling units such that the drill units are arranged in a pattern The frame may be selected to arrange the drilling units in a pre-determined, desired pattern. If a second, different pattern is required, the frame that arranges the -6 -drilling bits in a first pattern may be removed and exchanged for a second frame. The second frame may receive and locate drilling units in a second, different pattern. The second frame may receive the same number of drilling units, but may arrange the drill bits in a different pattern, or the second frame may receive more or fewer drilling units. A range of removeable frames may be provided for different applications.

Providing a removable frame improves the flexibility of the drilling apparatus, allowing different patterns of holes to be drilled, for example in different construction scenarios.

The drilling head may further comprise a template for guiding the drill bits when the drilling units are in use. The template may be provided in from of the frame, such that during use of the drilling units the template abuts the drilling surface. The template may be mounted on a guiding arm. The template may be specific to a particular frame or drilling pattern. The template may be adjustable relative to the frame, for example, such that the separation between the frame and the template can be varied.

The template may comprise a plurality of holes arranged in the pattern. During use of the drilling units, each hole may provide a guide for a respective drill bit. Each hole may prevent or limit deflection of the respective drill bit during use of the drilling unit to avoid deviation from the required angle of attack, and reduce inaccuracies in spacing between the holes. The template may be removeable. If the frame is exchanged for a second, different frame, such that the drill bits are arranged in a second, different pattern, the template may also be removed and exchanged for a second, different template. The second template may comprise a plurality of holes arranged in the second pattern, and during use of the drilling units, each hole may provide a guide for the respective drill bit.

According to a second aspect, the invention provides a method of drilling a pattern of holes. The method comprises providing a drilling head, wherein the drilling head comprises a plurality of drilling units, each drilling unit comprising a respective drill bit, and providing a frame for receiving the drilling units and for locating the drilling units, wherein the frame arranges the drill bits in the pattern The method comprises providing the drilling head on an arm, and using the arm to manoeuvre the drilling -7 -head into a drilling position for drilling into a drilling surface. The method comprises using the plurality of drilling units to drill the pattern of holes into the drilling surface. Providing a plurality of drilling units in a frame enables a plurality of holes to be drilled in a pre-determined pattern, thereby improving efficiency. Providing the drilling head on an arm that can be used to be manoeuvre the drilling head may enable a pattern of holes to be efficiently drilled at a hard-to-reach drilling surface, and may enable the pattern to be drilled in a plurality of drilling positions, by moving the arm, and without requiring manual movement of the drilling units. This may lead to improved accuracy in the drilling pattern, by reducing errors introduced by manually moving the drilling head.

The method may further comprise providing a template for the drill bits, and arranging the template to abut the drilling surface when the drilling head is in the drilling position. The method may further comprise arranging the template to guide the drill bits as they drill into the drilling surface. Providing a template may improve drilling accuracy, as the template may limit or prevent the deflection of the drill bits as they drill into a surface, thereby helping to ensure that the required angle of attack and spacing between the holes is maintained.

The drilling surface may be a surface of an engineering structure. The drilling surface may be a horizontal surface, a vertical surface or an inclined surface. The drilling surface may be a road, a wall, a ceiling or a surface of an object. The drilling surface may be a surface, for example, a bridge, a tunnel, or a pole. The structure may be a structure on a railway. The method may therefore allow efficient drilling of a pre-determined pattern of holes required for railway maintenance, constmction or repair.

Providing the drilling head may comprise determining a desired pattern of holes to be drilled, and selecting a frame for receiving the drilling units and for locating the drilling units, wherein the frame arranges the drill bits in the pattern. Providing the drilling head may comprise receiving and locating the drilling units in the frame, such that the drilling units are arranged in the desired pattern. A plurality of frames may be available. Each frame may be configured to receive a plurality of drilling units such that the drill bits are arranged in a different pattern. A user may select a particular -8 -frame depending on the required drilling pattern. A plurality of drilling units may be received in the frame such that the drilling units are arranged in the required pattern The selected frame and the drilling units may be removeably mounted on the arm, such that if a different pattern of holes is required, the frame and drilling units can be unmounted, and the frame can be exchanged for a different frame that receives the drilling units and arranges them in a different pattern, or receives a different number of drilling units.

According to a third aspect, the invention provides a kit of for drilling a plurality of holes. The kit of parts comprises a plurality of frames for interchangeably mounting on an arm, and a plurality of drilling units which are receivable in the frames, wherein each frame is configured to receive a plurality of the drilling units such that the drill bits are arranged in a respective pattern. Providing a plurality of frames for interchangeably mounting on an arm enables a plurality of different patterns of holes to be drilled by swapping the frame. The frames ensure that accuracy of drilling is maintained for the different patterns. Different frames may receive different numbers of drilling units, and may arrange the drilling units in a different layouts. Providing a plurality of frames therefore increases the flexibility of the drilling apparatus.

It will of course be appreciated that features described in relation to one aspect of the present invention may be incorporated into other aspects of the present invention. For example, the method of the invention may incorporate any of the features described with reference to the apparatus of the invention and vice versa.

Description of the Drawings

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings of which: Figure 1 shows a side on schematic view of a drilling apparatus, according to an embodiment of the invention; Figure 2a shows a schematic front view of the frame of the drilling apparatus of Figure 1, -9 -Figure 2b shows a schematic front view of a different frame for use in the drilling apparatus of Figure 1; Figure 3 shows a perspective view of the drilling head and drilling arm of Figure 1, Figure 4 shows a schematic side-on view of the drilling head and arm of Figure 3; and Figure 5 shows the drilling head and arm of Figure 3, mounted on a railway con structi on vehicle.

Detailed Description

A drilling apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown in Figure 1. The apparatus 1 comprises a platform 3 which is part of a railway maintenance vehicle 5. An arm 7 is mounted on the platform 3 A drilling head 9 is 15 mounted on the end of the arm 7 The arm 7 is an articulated arm comprising a joint 11 which allows a portion of the arm 7 to pivot relative to the platform, in order to position the drilling head 9 at a desired drilling surface. The arm 7 comprises an actuator 15 which allows the drilling head 9 to be translated towards a drilling surface (not shown), by extending the arm 7.

The drilling surface may be, for example, a surface of a railway bridge or a surface of a tunnel The drilling head 9 comprises a plurality of drilling units 17a, 17b, 17c, 17d (17c and 17d are not shown) Each drilling unit comprises a respective drill bit 19a, 196, 19c, 19d (19c and 19d are not shown). Each drilling unit 17a, 17b, 17c, 17d is an SDS power drill which is connected to a power supply via a cable (not shown) The drilling head 9 also comprises a frame 21 and the drilling units 17a, 17b, 17c, 17d are received in a frame 21. The frame 21 arranges the drilling units 17a, 17b, 17c, 17d, such that the drill bits 19a, 19b, 19c, 19d are arranged in a pattern, which is a pre-determined pattern to be drilled at a drilling surface.

-10 -The drilling head 9 comprises a template 23, which is mounted in front of the frame 21 and which acts as a guide for the drill bits 19a, 19b, 19c, 19d.

When the arm 7 has been manoeuvred relative to the platform such that the drilling head 9 is in the desired drilling position, the template 23 abuts the drilling surface.

During drilling, the template 23 thereby guides the drill bits 19a, 19b, 19c, 19d into the surface and prevents deflection of the drill bits I 9a, I 9b, I 9c, I 9d in a direction parallel to the drilling surface.

When the drilling head 9 is in the desired drilling position, power can is supplied to each of the drilling units 17a, 17b, 17c, 17d such that each of the drill bits 19a, 19b, 19c, 19d drills into the surface simultaneously. This allows a plurality of holes to be drilled simultaneously.

Once drilling is complete, the arm 7 may be used to reposition the drilling head 9 at a different position on the drilling surface, and there drilling process may be repeated. In this manner, a repetitive pattern of holes may be drilled.

A frame 21 for use with the drilling apparatus of the first embodiment of the present invention is shown in Figure 2. The frame 21 comprises four apertures 25a, 25b, 25c, 25d, for receiving and locating up to four drilling units (not shown in Figure 2), and a central aperture 27 for mounting the frame 21 on the arm 7.

The frame 21 shown in Figure 2a receives and locates drilling units 17a, 17b, 17c, 17d, such that if four drilling units 17a, 17b, 17c, 17d are received, the drill bits19a, 19b, 19c, 19d of the drilling units 17a, 17b, 17c, 17d would drill a substantially square pattern.

The frame 21, may be removeably mounted on the arm 7 such that if a different drilling pattern is required the frame 21 may be unmounted from the arm 7, and exchanged for a different frame, such as the frame 121 shown in Figure 2b.

The frame 121 shown in Figure 2b comprises a different arrangement of three apertures 125a, 125b, 125c for receiving and locating up to three drilling units (not shown), which may be three of the same drilling units 17a, 17b, 17c, 17d, shown in Figure 1, and a central aperture 127 for mounting the frame on the arm 7.

The frame 121 shown in Figure 2b receives and locates drilling units such that if three drilling units are received, the drill bits of the drilling units would drill a substantially triangular pattern.

Figure 3 shows a perspective view of the drilling head and drilling arm of Figure 1.

The drilling head 9 is mounted on the arm 7. The drilling head 9 comprises four drilling units 17a, 17b, 17c, 17d (17c and 17d are not visible in Figure 3). Each drilling unit 17a, 17b, 17c, 17d, is an SDS drill comprising a respective drill bit 19a, 19b, 19c, 19d (19c and 19d are not visible in Figure 3) which is connected to a mains power supply.

The drilling units 17a, 17b, 17c, 17d are received in a frame, 21, which receives and locates the drilling units 17a, 17b, 17c, 17d, such that they are arranged in a square pattern. The drilling head 9 further comprises a template 23, which comprise guide holes 29a, 29b, 29c, 29d (29c and 29d are not visible in Figure 3) arranged in a square pattern. When the drilling units 17a, 17b, 17c, 17d are in use, the guide holes 29a, 29b, 29c, 29d of the template guide the drill bits 19a, 19b, 19c, 19d as they drill into a drilling surface.

Figure 4 shows a schematic side-on view of the drilling head 9 and drilling arm 7 of Figure 1 Figure 4 shows the drilling head 9, comprising drilling units 17a, 17b, 17c, 17d (17c and 17d are not shown), and the respective drill bits 19a, 19b, 19c, 19d (19c and 19d are not shown) associated with each drilling unit 17a, 17b, 17c, 17d. The frame 21 receives the drilling units in apertures 25a, 25b, 25c, 25d (25c and 25d are not shown), and the frame 21 is mounted on the arm 7 using the central aperture (not shown in Figure 4). The template 23, which is mounted in front of the frame 21, acts as a guide for the drill bits 19a, 19b, 19c, 19d -12 -As shown in Figure 5, the arm 7 can be mounted on a platform 3 of a railway maintenance vehicle 5.

The arm 7 comprises an actuator 15, which enables the arm 7 to extend, such that the drilling head 9 can be moved towards a drilling surface. The arm 7 comprises a joint I I, which can also rotate about a multiple axes, thereby enabling the drilling head 9 to be positioned at a wide range of angles.

Each of the drilling units 17a, 17b, 17c, 17d, is connected to a power supply, which in this case, is a generator 31 mounted on the platform 3.

The drilling head 9 can be moved into a wide range of desired drilling positions, both using rotation and translation of the arm 7 relative to the platform 3, and by moving the railway maintenance vehicle 5, for example, using the railway bogeys 33.

Whilst the present invention has been described and illustrated with reference to particular embodiments, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that the invention lends itself to many different variations not specifically illustrated 20 herein.

The drilling apparatus may be scalable for use in different operations. For example, the drilling apparatus may be used inside buildings.

Where in the foregoing description, integers or elements are mentioned which have known, obvious or foreseeable equivalents, then such equivalents are herein incorporated as if individually set forth. Reference should be made to the claims for determining the trite scope of the present invention, which should be construed so as to encompass any such equivalents. It will also be appreciated by the reader that integers or features of the invention that are described as preferable, advantageous, convenient or the like are optional and do not limit the scope of the independent claims. Moreover, it is to be understood that such optional integers or features, whilst of possible benefit in some embodiments of the invention, may not be desirable, and may therefore be absent, in other embodiments.

Claims

-14 -Claims 1.
A drilling apparatus for drilling a pattern of holes, the apparatus comprising: a platform; an arm; and a drilling head, wherein the drilling head is mounted on the arm and the arm is mounted on the platform, such that the arm is manoeuvrable relative to the platform to position the drill head; wherein the drilling head comprises: a plurality of drilling units, each drilling unit comprising a respective drill bit; and a frame for receiving the drilling units and for locating the drilling units such that drill bits are arranged in the pattern 2.
The drilling apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of drilling units comprises an SDS power drill 3 The drilling apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein the arm is pivotally mounted on the platform, to allow the arm to pivot relative to the platform 4.
The drilling apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein the arm is configured to be rotatable about three perpendicular axes relative to the platform, to position the drill head.
The drilling apparatus of any of claims 3-4, wherein the arm is an articulated arm comprising a joint that allows at least a portion of the arm to rotate relative to the platform.
6. The drilling apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein the arm is configured to allow the drilling head to be translatable along at least one axis relative to the platform, to allow the drill head to be moved towards a drilling surface.-15 -
7. The drilling apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein the arm is configured such that the drilling head is manoeuvrable about/in six degrees of freedom
8. The drilling apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein the platform is provided on a vehicle.
9 The drilling apparatus of claim 8, wherein the vehicle is a railway maintenance vehicle
10. The drilling apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein the frame is removable, such that the frame can be interchanged with a second, different frame for receiving a plurality of drilling units and locating the drilling units, such that drill bits are arranged in a second, different pattern.
11 The drilling apparatus of any preceding claim, wherein the drilling head further comprises a template for guiding the drill bits when the drilling units are in use
12. The drilling apparatus of claim 11, wherein the template comprises a plurality of holes arranged in the pattern, wherein, during use of the drilling units, each hole provides a guide for a respective drill bit
13. A method of drilling a pattern of holes, the method comprising: providing a drilling head, wherein the drilling head comprises a plurality of drilling units, each drilling unit comprising a respective drill bit, and a frame for receiving the drilling units and for locating the drilling units, wherein the frame arranges the drill bits in the pattern; providing the drilling head on an arm; using the arm to manoeuvre the drilling head into a drilling position for drilling into a drilling surface; using the plurality of drilling units to drill the pattern of holes into the drilling surface.-16 -
14. The method of claim 13, further comprising providing a template for the drill bits, and arranging the template to abut the drilling surface when the drilling head is in the drilling position, and arranging the template to guide the drill bits as they drill into the drilling surface.
15. The method of claim 13 or claim 14, wherein the drilling surface is a surface of an engineering structure.
16. The method of claim 15 wherein the structure is a structure on a railway.
17. The method according to any of claims 13-16, wherein providing the drilling head comprises: determining a desired pattern of holes to be drilled; selecting a frame for receiving the drilling units and for locating the drilling units, wherein the frame arranges the drill bits in the pattern; and receiving and locating the drilling units in the frame, such that the drilling units are arranged in the desired pattern.
18. A kit of parts for drilling a plurality of holes, comprising: a plurality of frames for interchangeably mounting on an arm; a plurality of drilling units which are receivable in the frames, wherein each frame is configured to receive a plurality of the drilling units such that the drill bits are arranged in a respective pattern.