LU83951A1 - METHOD AND DEVICE FOR AUTOMATICALLY CONTROLLING THE THESE OF AN ELONGATE ELEMENT IN THE GROUND - Google Patents

Description

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The present invention relates and essentially relates to a method and a device for carrying out the automatic threshing of an element such as a pile, a sheet pile or the like, for example in the ground.

5 Devices for driving a pile or a sheet pile are already known by the free fall of a sheep hanging on a cable wound on a winch. In these devices, the control of raising the sheep and / or triggering the free fall of the sheep was manual.

10 Consequently, these devices had great disadvantages, indeed, the machinist had to be very attentive to the movement of the sheep so as to optimize the yield of the fall of the latter, which is a function of the speed and the height of ascent of said sheep as well as the rate of threshing. Mainly during a high threshing rate, the attention of the machinist quickly became unbearable, and resulted in a noticeable decrease in the performance of the machine.

The object of the present invention is to remedy all these drawbacks by proposing a method and a device for automatically controlling the ascent of the sheep as well as the initiation of the free fall of the latter. The invention, which eliminates any intervention by the machinist, makes it possible to optimize the yield of the fall of the sheep whatever the rate of threshing and the duration of the latter.

To this end, the invention relates to a method for making the threshing of an element, for example in. the ground, such as a pile, a sheet pile or the like, by means of a threshing machine of the free fall type of a sheep, such as a bell or the like, comprising the following steps: - dropping, in free fall, the sheep on the element to be beaten; 35 - raise the sheep to a predetermined height and adjustable relative to the element to be beaten; - repeat these operations. The 3 H process.

i ç - <s the invention is characterized in that the triggering of the free fall of the sheep and the ascent of said sheep are automatically controlled by detection respectively of the predetermined height of ascent of said sheep and 5 of the instant of impact of the sheep on the element to beat.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the detection of the instant of impact of the sheep on the element to be beaten controls the winding of the suspension cable with a cable winding force at most substantially equal to the weight of said sheep, the triggering of the ascent of the sheep being controlled by the detection of the instant of immobilization of the sheep on the element to be beaten.

Thus, according to this characteristic, the suspension cable 15 is substantially maintained in the stretched position after the sheep has come into contact with the element to be beaten, without for this exerting a force on said sheep tending to raise it. Consequently, substantially all of the kinetic energy that the sheep has at the time of impact on the element to be beaten is transmitted to this element.

The present invention also relates to a device for implementing the method described above, this device being of the type comprising a threshing machine or bell comprising a chassis, a threshing mast, a sheep suspended from a coiling cable on a winch, * said winch being connected by means of clutch and disengage to drive means such as for example electric, thermal, hydraulic, pneumatic or similar motors, characterized in that it comprises means for detecting the instant of impact of said sheep on the element to be beaten, and means for detecting the rise height of said sheep, these detection means being connected respectively to said clutch and disengage means of said winch.

35 Thus, this device makes it possible on the one hand to control the clutch of the winch with the drive means as soon as the sheep is in contact with the element to be beaten, 4 3 V y î ^ and on the other hand to control disengaging said winch to trigger the free fall of the sheep, as soon as it has been raised from a predetermined height relative to the element to be beaten. As a result, the batxing is controlled automatically without the intervention of a machinist.

According to another characteristic of the invention, the aforementioned means of detecting the instant of impact of said sheep on the element to be beaten comprise a load sensor measuring the load exerted by the suspension cable of the sheep on a pulley of guide of said cable, fixed to the upper end of the threshing mast, and a device for analyzing variations in the signal supplied by said sensor. This signal variation analysis device is composed of a signal analysis member and a control member of the aforementioned clutch means of the winch.

According to yet another characteristic of the invention, the means for detecting the aforementioned impact instant comprise position, speed 20 or acceleration sensors of the sheep during its free fall, and an analysis device of the value of the signal emitted by these sensors, said device comprising a member for analyzing said signal and a member for controlling the aforementioned clutch means of the winch.

According to a new characteristic of the invention, * these means for detecting the instant of impact of the sheep with the element to be beaten comprise a sound sensor and a device for analyzing the signal emitted by the sensor,; said analysis device being analogous to the aforementioned analysis device 30.

According to yet another characteristic of the invention, the aforementioned means for detecting the height of the sheep's ascent include a sensor for the angular displacement of the winch, and a device for analyzing and comparing the signal emitted by said sensor. with a predetermined and adjustable value corresponding to a predetermined height of ascent of the sheep, said i.

5 τ »y analysis and comparison device comprising an analysis organ, and signal comparison, and a control member of the aforesaid means of disengaging the winch.

5 Advantageously, this angular displacement sensor of the winch comprises marks fixed on said winch substantially regularly in a circle, a detector emitting a signal for each passage of one of the abovementioned marks in front of at least one fixed mark, and iO a totalizing counter. of these signals.

According to yet another characteristic of the invention, the aforementioned devices for analyzing the signals emitted by the various sensors are advantageously an assembly with electronic circuits.

According to an important characteristic of the invention, the device comprises a means of detecting the instant of immobilization of the sheep in contact with the element to be beaten, said means being connected by means of the power control member to said clutch 20 and declutching means, said clutch means comprising a first position called "pre-clutch" for transmitting a driving force to the treu! at most substantially equal to the weight of the sheep, and a second so-called "clutch" position for transmitting a driving force 25 to the winch allowing the said sheep to rise.

Furthermore, the means of detecting the instant of impact of the sheep on the element to be beat emits a signal corresponding to this instant of impact, applied to the abovementioned power control member to control the passage of the means. clutch from their disengaged position in their first pre-clutch position, the aforementioned detection means of the instant of immobilization of the aforementioned sheep on the element to be beat emitting a signal corresponding to this immobilization, applied to said control member 35 power to control the passage of said clutch means from their first pre-clutch position to their second clutch position.

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Advantageously, the means for detecting the instant of immobilization of the sheep is constituted by the means for detecting the height of the sheep's ascent, the signal emitted by these means being analyzed by a device 5 for analyzing the signal to determine the instant of zero speed of rotation of the winch and emit the aforementioned signal applied to the aforementioned power control member.

The invention will be better understood and other objects, characteristics, details and advantages thereof will appear more clearly during the explanatory description which follows, made with reference to the appended schematic drawings given solely by way of example illustrating two £ 6 embodiment of the invention and in which: - Figure 1 is a schematic view illustrating a threshing machine comprising the automatic control device of said threshing, according to the invention; FIG. 2 is a diagram representing the load exerted by the cable on the pulley as a function of time, during threshing; and - Figure 3 is a diagram showing the speed of unwinding and winding of the cable on the winch as a function of time during threshing.

Referring to Figure 1, a threshing machine 1 of an elongated member 2 such as a pile, a. sheet pile or the like in the ground 3 conventionally comprises a chassis 4, a threshing mast 5 at the upper end of which is mounted a guide pulley 6.

In addition, this threshing machine comprises a sheep 7 50 suspended from a cable 8 guided by the pulley 6 and winding on a threshing winch 9. This winch 9 is fixed to the chassis 4 of the threshing machine 1 and comprises drive means (not shown), for example hydraulic or pneumatic drive means. According to the invention, the connection between the winch 9 and these drive means is controlled by clutch or disengage means 11 shown diagrammatically and being

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7 * * constituted according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, by a system of hydraulic cylinders. In addition, according to the invention, these clutch or declutching means 11 are controlled and actuated by a hydraulic power control system 10 5, known per se and schematically comprising a distributor 10a, a pump 10b and a fluid reservoir hydraulic 10c. The different connecting lines, shown in strong lines, between the elements 11, 10a, 10b, 10c represent 10 hydraulic connections.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the threshing machine 1 is equipped with an automatic pile threshing control system 2 in the ground 3.

This automatic control device comprises a load sensor 15 12 exerted by the cable 8 on the pulley 6. This load sensor 12 is connected to a device 13 for analyzing the signal emitted by the sensor 12.

In addition, according to the invention, several marks 14 are fixed to the winch, substantially regularly in a circle. During the rotation of the winch 9, these marks pass in front of two fixed marks 15a, 15b constituting a detection assembly 15 of the direction and the angular displacement of the winch. In fact, each passage of a mark 14 in front of the marks 15a, 15b, is detected 25 and totaled by a pulse counter, the signal thus. transmitted is transmitted to the above-mentioned analysis device 13.

The analysis device 13 processing the signals emitted by the sensors 12 and 15, emits a control signal actuating the power control member 10 of the clutch or disengage means 11 of the winch 9. For greater clarity, the fine lines representing the links between the sensors 12, 15b, 15a, the analysis device 13 and the power control system 10 illustrate the signal transmission links between these different elements. According to the embodiment, these connections are electrical connections.

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Referring now to Figures 1 and 2, the operation of the automatic threshing control device according to a first preferred embodiment of the invention will now be indicated.

5 With particular reference to FIG. 2, which diagrammatically represents the value of the load exerted by the cable 8 on the pulley 6, detected by the load sensor 12 during two threshing cycles, this signal will be analyzed to detect the moment of impact 10 of the sheep 7 on the pile 2. This analysis corresponds to that carried out by the analysis device 13 according to the invention. Indeed, by following the curve according to the diagram represented by the letters, a, b, c, d, e, f, g, b 'we notice that during the period ab the signal is substantially constant and corresponds to a high value of the load exerted on the pulley 6, this period corresponds to the ascent of the sheep, therefore the winch 9 and the means for driving said winch are engaged.

At this instant b, there is a rapid fall in the load, the period bc corresponding to the initiation of the free fall of the sheep, then a substantial stabilization of the load during the period cd, and a further decrease at the point d of this load. . This new decrease corresponds to the instant of impact of the sheep 7 on the pile 2, 25 indeed, at this instant, the cable 8, by its inertia, continues to unwind and therefore has a significant slack, reducing the load exerted on the pulley 6. The device. analysis device 13, constituted according to a preferred embodiment of the invention by electronic circuits, 30 comprises a device for analyzing the signal emitted by the load sensor and shown in FIG. 2 and a control device for triggering the system 10 for controlling the power of the clutch means 11. The abovementioned analysis member detects the reduction in the load occurring at point d and at this moment excites the control member to trigger the power control system 10 clutch means 11. Thus, the curve part ef

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9 corresponds substantially to the winding of the slack in the cable 8, then the load increases suddenly from f to g, corresponding to the start of the ascent of the sheep 7, the part g-b 'corresponding to the ascent of the sheep "to a predetermined height 5.

In addition, according to the invention, the triggering of the free fall of the sheep 7, corresponding substantially to point b or b 'of the curve in FIG. 2, is controlled as a function of the signal transmitted by the detection means 15 10 and received by the analysis device 13. Indeed, the number of pulses totaled by the detection means 15b corresponds to the number of passages of the marks 14 in front of the detectors 15a, 15b and thus to the length of cable 8 wound around the winch 9 , therefore at a lifting height 15 of the sheep 7 relative to the pile 2. This number of pulses is then analyzed and compared in an analysis and comparison member of the analysis device 13} has a corresponding predetermined and adjustable value at a predetermined height of ascent of the sheep 7. It is obvious to understand that when the number of pulses reaches this predetermined value, the analysis and comparison member excites a control member to actuate the power system 10 of the means clutch 11 of the winch 9 and the drive means, which automatically causes the free fall of the sheep 7. s Thus, the device of the invention makes it possible to automatically control the ascent of the sheep 7 to a predetermined height and its fall free, by double detection of the instant of impact of the m uton 7 on the pile 2 30 and of its ascent height. Thus, the method and the device of the invention make it possible to use a threshing machine with optimum efficiency of the fall of the sheep, whatever the rate of threshing, regardless of the qualification, of the attention of a 35 machinist, because any manual control of the movement of the sheep is eliminated.

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According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the clutch means 11 comprise a disengaged position and two engaged positions: a first so-called "pre-clutch" position transmitting a driving force of the winch 9 which is at most substantially equal to the weight of sheep 7; and a second so-called "clutch" position in which this clutch means 11 transmits a driving force to the winch 9 making it possible to raise the sheep 7.

In this embodiment, the device 10 for detecting the angular displacement of the winch 9 advantageously makes it possible, on the one hand, to detect the lifting height of the sheep 7 and on the other hand to detect the instant of immobilization of the sheep 7 on the element to beat 2.

With particular reference to FIG. 3, the operation of the automatic threshing control device according to this second preferred embodiment is as follows:

The curve in solid lines represents the variation of the winding speeds Ve and of unwinding Vd of the cable on the winch 9 as a function of time during a beating cycle, the curve in broken lines corresponding to the variations of the unwinding speeds Vd and winding Ve of cable 8 during the next beating cycle which is substantially identical to the curve in solid lines.

The threshing cycle according to this embodiment is as follows: “at the point a the sheep being raised to a height corresponding to the predetermined height, the winch is disengaged to cause the free fall of the sheep corresponding to zone I, the speed of cable unwinding being represented by the curve segment ab.

At the instant of impact of the sheep 7 on the element to be beaten 2 detected by the load sensor 12, according to the invention, the clutch means 11 are passed into their first position called "pre-clutch" to drive the winch 9 according to a drive force to »11

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more substantially equal to the weight of the sheep 7. In FIG. 2, this part of the cycle corresponds to zone II. Therefore, the cable is wound around the winch 9 as long as it is not in the stretched position, which corresponds to the part 5 of curve bc. As this winding force exerted on the cable 8 is not sufficient to raise the sheep 7, when the cable is in the stretched position, it will again be unwound to follow the movement of the sheep 7 downwards (cd). When substantially all of the kinetic energy acquired by the sheep 7 during its free fall is transmitted to the pile 2, the sheep 7 will immobilize on the upper end of the pile 2 which corresponds to the point d of the curve. According to the invention, this immobilization is detected by the sensor 15 of angular displacement 15 of the winch 9 because the cable 8 is always kept in the tensioned position since the clutch means 11 are in their first pre-clutch position.

At this instant, the signal emitted by the angular displacement sensor 15 analyzed by the analysis device 13 transmits a control signal to the power control member of the clutch means 11 for passing these from their first pre-clutch position to their second clutch position in which the driving force transmitted to the winch 9 25 makes it possible to raise the sheep 7. This part III of the threshing cycle corresponds to the segment of curve def.

The sheep is raised to a determined height 5 by the angular displacement sensor 15 of the winch 9 corresponding to the predetermined height, the winch 9 is disengaged to start a new threshing cycle.

Thus, in this embodiment, the force exerted by the cable 8 on the sheep 7 after its instant of impact with the element 2 to be beaten is relatively low to simply allow the cable 8 to be kept in the stretched position and therefore fact, substantially all of the kinetic energy acquired by the sheep 7 during its fall is transmitted to the element 2 to beat.

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The methods of the invention therefore make it possible to automatically control the threshing of an element to be beaten while increasing the efficiency of threshing.

Furthermore, it is of course obvious that the invention includes any device making it possible to automatically detect the instant of impact of the sheep 7 on the pile 2, for automatically controlling the ascent of said sheep. By way of nonlimiting example, as a device for detecting the instant of impact, there may be detectors of position, speed or acceleration of the sheep 7 during its free fall, or a sound sensor, all these sensors emitting a signal having a variation in their intensity as a function of the instant of impact of the moutor. 7 on pile 2, this variation being analyzed in an analysis device 13 to control a power control system of the winch clutch.

On the other hand, the means 15 for detecting the angular displacement of the winch are only given by way of nonlimiting example.

• Of course, the invention is in no way limited to the embodiments described and shown which have been given only by way of example. Thus the drive means, the clutch or disengage means, the power control member of said clutch or disengage means can be any without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims (10)

1. Method for threshing an elongated element, for example in the ground, such as a pile, a sheet pile or the like, by means of a threshing device of the free fall type of sheep, such as a * bell or the like, comprising the following steps: - dropping, in free fall, the sheep on the element to be beaten; - raise the sheep to a predetermined height 10 and adjustable relative to the element to be beaten; - repeat these operations; characterized in that the triggering of the free fall of the sheep, and the ascent of said sheep are automatically controlled by detection respectively of the predetermined height of rise of said sheep and of its instant of impact on said element to be beaten. 2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that said triggering of the ascent of the sheep is controlled by the detection of the instant of immobilization of the sheep on the element to be beaten, said detection of the instant of impact on said threshing element controlling the winding of the suspension cable of said sheep with a winding force of said cable at most substantially. equal to the weight of said sheep. 25 3. ” Device for implementing the method according to claim 1 or 2, of the type comprising a threshing device or bell comprising a chassis, a threshing mast, a sheep suspended on a cable winding on a winch, said winch being connected by means of clutch and disengage means to drive means such as, for example, electrified, thermal, hydraulic, pneumatic or similar motors, characterized in that it comprises means for detecting the instant of impact of said sheep on the element 35 to be beaten, and means for detecting the height of * * * raising of said sheep, said detection means being connected respectively via a control system for power to said clutching and disengaging means of said winch. 4. Device according to claim 3, characterized. in that it comprises a means of detecting the instant of immobilization of the sheep (7) on the element to be beaten (2), said detection means emitting a signal corresponding to said instant of immobilization, for controlling by 10 through said power control member (10) 1 actuation of said means (11) for clutching and disengaging, said means (11) for clutching and disengaging comprising a first position called "pre-clutch" to transmit a winch drive force at most equal to the weight of the sheep, and a second so-called "clutch" position for transmitting the winch drive force for lifting said sheep. 5. Device according to claim 4, characterized in that the aforementioned detection means (12) of the instant of impact of said sheep on the element to be beat emitting a signal corresponding to this instant of impact which is applied to the aforementioned power control member (10) for controlling the passage of the aforementioned clutch and declutching means (11) ie, from their disengaged position • to their aforementioned first pre-clutch position, the aforementioned detection means of the instant d immobilization of the sheep (7) on the element to be beaten (2) emitting a signal corresponding to this instant of immobilization, applied to said power control member to control the passage of the clutch and declutching means (11 ) from said pre-clutch position to their aforementioned second clutch position. 6, - Device according to claim 3, 4 or 5 »35 characterized in that the means for detecting the instant of immobüiæticn of the aforementioned sheep is constituted by the aforementioned means of detecting the rise height of said sheep (7) . 4- ♦ * r φ 7. Device according to one of claims 3 to 6, of the type comprising a cable guide pulley fixed to the upper end of the aforementioned threshing mast, characterized in that the aforementioned detection means 5 of the instant of impact include a sensor of the load exerted by the cable on said pulley, and a device for analyzing the variations of the signal supplied by said sensor, said analyzing device being composed of an organ for analyzing said signal and an organ control 10 connected to the aforementioned clutch means of the winch via the aforementioned power control member. 8. Device according to one of claims 3 to 6, characterized in that the aforementioned means of detecting the instant of impact comprise position, speed or acceleration sensors of the sheep during its free fall , and a device for analyzing the value of the signal emitted by these sensors, said device for analyzing comprising a member for analyzing said signal and a control member 20 connected to the aforementioned means for clutching the winch by means of the aforementioned power control member. 9. Device according to one of claims 3 to 6 or 8, characterized in that the aforementioned means of detecting the instant of impact comprise a sound sensor, and a device for analyzing the signal emitted by the sensor. said analysis device comprising a signal analysis member and a control member connected to the aforementioned clutch means by means of the aforementioned power control member. 10. Device according to one of claims 3 to 9, characterized in that the aforementioned means for detecting the height of the sheep's ascent include a sensor of the angular displacement of the winch, and a device for analysis and comparison of the signal emitted by the sensor with an adjustable predetermined value corresponding to a predetermined ascent height of the r 4 "Λ 4 sheep, said analysis and comparison device comprising a member for analyzing said signal and a control member connected to the means aforesaid release of the winch by means of the aforesaid power control member. 11. Device according to claim 10, characterized in that the aforesaid angular displacement sensor of the winch comprises marks arranged on said winch, substantially regularly in a circle, a detector emitting a signal for each passage of one of said aforementioned marks in front at least one fixed reference, and a sensor for these signals. 12. Device according to one of claims 4, 5, 6, 10 or 11, characterized in that the aforementioned detection means 15 of the instant of immobilization of the sheep (7) on the element to be beaten (2) comprise the aforementioned sensors (15, 14) of the angular displacement of the winch, a device for analyzing the signals emitted, transmitting in response the aforementioned signal corresponding to the instant of zero speed of rotation of the winch, or to said immobilization instant sheep. 13. “Device according to one of claims 3 to 12, characterized in that the aforementioned analysis devices are an assembly with electronic circuits. P 0