US3113629A

US3113629A - Boring apparatus whose opening is adjustable

Info

Publication number: US3113629A
Application number: US107252A
Authority: US
Inventors: Allard Pierre Jean-Ma Theodore
Original assignee: Societe Francaise de Construction de Bennes Automatiques BENOTO SA
Current assignee: Societe Francaise de Construction de Bennes Automatiques BENOTO SA
Priority date: 1960-11-29
Filing date: 1961-05-02
Publication date: 1963-12-10
Anticipated expiration: 1980-12-10

Description

Dec. 10, 1963 3,113,s29=

BORING APPARATUS WHOSE OPENING IS ADJUSTABLE P. JEAN-MARIE T. ALLARD 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 2, 1961 l x llvllllili:

Arryf.

10., 19.63 I P.JEANMARIEIT. ALLARD 3,113,629:

BORING APPARATUS moss OPENING I s ADJUSTABLE Filed May 2, 1961 I 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent M 3,113,529 BOG APPARATUS WHGSE OPENING IS ADRJEHABLE Pierre Jean-Marie Theodore Allard, Paris, France, as-

signor to Soeiete Francaise de Construction de Bennes Automatiques Benoto, Paris, France, a French body corporate Filed May 2, 1961, Ser. No. 107,252 Claims priority, application France Nov. 29, 1960 7 (Ilaims. (Cl. 175-238) The invention relates to an apparatus for boring or forming pits of the type comprising, on the one hand, an upper transverse element to which are pivoted the upper ends or" two lateral arms and, on the other hand, a vertically movable lower central block to which are pivoted two cooperating grab shells which are also pivoted to the lower ends of said arms.

The object of the invention is to provide a boring apparatus of this type which is capable of forming bores or pits of a plurality of diiferent diameters without alteration of the main elements of the apparatus, the apparatus being adapted for the desired boring diameter by the simple addition or removal of very easily mounted or dismounted accessories.

The features and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the ensuing description, with reference to the accompanying drawings to which the invention is in no way limited.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of the apparatus according to the invention, the shells being in fully open position;

FIG. 2 is a partial sectional view taken along line 22 of PEG. 1, looking upwardly;

FIG. 3 is a partial plan sectional view taken along line 33 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view in side elevation taken along line 4i4 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary elevational view of the lower part of the apparatus showing the shells in a fully open position wherein the opening is greater than that shown in FIG. 1, and

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary elevational view of the upper portion of the apparatus showing a modification wherein a link member shown in FIG. 1 has been replaced by meshing teeth.

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the apparatus comprises an upper transverse beam 1 to which are pivoted at 2" and 2

vertical arms

3 and 3 These arms have an outer lateral portion of curved cross-sectional shape so that the assembly of these two arms has a substantially cylindrical configuration the diameter of which approximates the diameter of the bore formed by the apparatus so as to guide the latter during boring. Each of these

arms

3 or 3 comprises (FIG. 2) laterally inwardly projecting web portions 4 and 5 for arm 3 and 4 and 5 for arm 3 These web portions are interconnected by cylindrical segmental portions 6 and 6 of

arms

3 and 3 respectively.

These arms have a large mass thus rendering the apparatus very heavy-necessary to enable the latter to effect the required boring operationand strong so that it resists the shocks to which it is subjected.

The apparatus further comprises a central lower block 7 provided with a lower transverse portion 8 having a lower face 8*. Pivoted to this block at 9 and 9 are two cooperating

grab shells

10 and 10* which are additionally pivoted at 11 and 11 to the lower ends of the

arms

3 and 3*.

These shells are positively interconnected for simultaneous rotation in opposite directions by two couplings 3,113,629 Patented Dec. 10, 1963 2 each of which comprises two meshing gear sectors 12 12 In the open position shown in FIG. 1, the shells 10 10 bear, on the one hand, through the medium of inner abutting portions 13 13 against the lower face 8 of the transverse portion 8 either by direct contact or through the medium of a removable abutment block 14 fixed under the portion 8 by bolts 15*, 15 and, on the other hand, through the medium of their outer abutting portions 16 and 16 against abutting portions 17*, 17 provided at the lower part of the

arms

3 and 3 this bearing being through the medium of removable abutment blocks 18 18* which are fixed to the shells by, for example, screws 19'.

The central block 7 is connected through the medium of a pin Ztl to a lower beam 21 within which is disposed a part of a closing mechanism. The closing mechanism comprises two pulley 22 22 mounted on the upper beam 1, the rotational axes of these pulleys coinciding with the axes of the

pivotal mountings

2 and 2 of the

arms

3 and 3 and three other pulleys 23 24, and 23 mounted in the lower beam 21. A cable 25 constituting the closing cable of the apparatus passes in succession round the pulleys 24, 22 23 23 and 22 and is fixed to a fork 26 provided with an adjusting device 27 comprising a screwthreaded rod 28, a nut 29 by means of which the tension of the cable is regulated and a lock-nut 30 which permits locking the device in position when the cable is taut. The end of the cable 25 comprises a loop 25 through which extends a pin 31 whose ends extend through a pair of apertures 32 provided in the sides of the fork 26. The latter is provided with another pair of apertures 33 which have the same cross-section as the apertures 32 and which are alternatively capable of receiving the pin 31.

The pulleys 22 and 22 and the cable 25 are protected from falling material broken oif from the wall of the bore by means of downwardly and outwardly slop ing sheet metal guard members 1 fixed to the beam 1.

The webs of the arm 3 are connected to those of the arm 3* by a link 34 pivoted at 35 to the arm 3 and at 36 to the arm 3 The link 34 constrains the

arms

3 and 3 to move symmetrically in opposite directions with respect to the vertical center line of the apparatus. The link 34 thus prevents the apparatus from collapsing laterally by a parallelogram link type of displacement about pivots 2 2*, 11 and 11 when the apparatus rests on the ground with the

grab shells

10 and 10 partially open.

The apparatus comprises a hooking head 37 which has a ring 38 and is suspended by a yoke 39 from chains 46, 1

this suspension shackle being conventional and therefore requiring no detailed description. It is clear that, when an upward pull is exerted on the cable 25, the lower beam 21 will tend to move upward, towards the upper beam 1; the central block '7 is thus drawn upwardly and the pivots 9 9 are also drawn upwardly therewith; the

shells

10 and 10 thus rotate about the pivots 11 11 and the grab closes.

In opening the grab, when the cable 25 is relaxed, the

lower beam 21, the central block 7 and the pivots 9 9 ting portions 17 17 of the arms 3*, 3 and, on the other hand, of the inner abutting portions 13 13 of the

shells

10 and 10 with the central abutment block 14.

When the apparatus is intended to bore at the smallest boring diameter, it is arranged in the above-indicated manner shown in FIG. 1, the abutting portions 13 and 13 of the shells resting against the lower face of the abutment block i4 which bears against the lower element 8, and the abutment-blocks 18 and 18 of the shells bearing against the abutments 17 and 17 at the lower ends of the arms.

When it is desired to bore at the largest boring diameter, in accordance with an important feature of the invention the abutment blocks 18* and 18 carried by the shells are removed and the abutment block 14 is replaced by another abutment block 14a (FIG. 5) which has such a shape that the shells, when open, rest, on the one hand, against the abutment block 14A and, on the other hand, directly against the abutting portions 17 17 of the arms 3 3".

It will be understood that this arrangement permits increasing the angle between the shells in their fullyopened position. The shape of the shells is such that when this angle is increased, the overall lateral size of the apparatus increases, these shells having the position shown in FIG. 5. In this Way there is obtained a boring apparatus which is capable of effecting a boring operation having a diameter greater than that which the apparatus arranged as shown in FIG. 1 is capable of effecting.

The boring apparatus may utilize a set of removable abutment blocks such as the abutment block 14A, whose shapes and sizes are different, and a set of abutment blocks similar to the abutment blocks 13 18* but having different thicknesses, thereby providing a range of different values for the fully open angle between the shells and consequently a range of different boring diameters.

Owing to the change in the abutment blocks as shown in FIG. 5, the lower beam 21 connected to the block 7 through the medium of the pin must descend lower than in FIG. 1 making it necessary to extend the length of the pulley block cable 25. To this end, the pair of apertures 33 provided in the fork 26 are used, thereby shifting the attachment pin 33 of the cable which is equivalent to extending the length of the cable.

The guiding of the head of the boring apparatus in the bore with the shells open to the maximum diameter shown in FIG. 5 is preferably obtained by means of detachable guide elements in the form of shoes 43*, 43* which are shown in dot-dash line in FIGS. 1 and 2 and are fixed on the cylindrical segmental portions 6 6 of the arms 3 3 by bolts 44 44. In FIG. 1, various shoes 43*, 43 for different boring diameters are indicated in dotted lines. In FIG. 2, only a single size for shoes 43 43 has been indicated, the shoes being suitable for use with the fully open position of the shells as shown in FIG. 5.

The toothed gear sectors 12 12 positively maintain the common veritcal axis of the lower beam 21 and the central lower block 7 perpendicular to a plane passing through the lower edges of the shells 10 and 16 In the modification of the invention shown in FIG.6, the link 34 is replaced by a gearing comprising toothed elements 41 and 42, one of these elements having two teeth and the other element a single tooth. The elements 41 and 42, like the link 34, constrain the arms 5 and 3 to move symmetrically in opposite directions with respect to the vertical axis of the apparatus.

Although specific embodiments of the invention have been described, many modifications and changes may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

In particular, the scope of the invention is not limited to the boring apparatus having a single closing cable and openable by means of the ring of the type described and shown. The devices are similar when it concerns a boring apparatus comprising a closing cable and an opening cable, but in this case means for fastening the opening cable in the known manner must be provided on the beam.

Having now described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. Earth boring apparatus comprising an upper transverse member, two lateral vertical arms whose upper ends are pivoted to said transverse member, a central lower block, two cooperating grab shells, inner pivot means pivotally connecting said shells with said lower block, outer pivot means pivotally connecting said shells respectively to the lower ends of said arms, and cable-andpulley means operatively connected with said upper transverse member and said lower block; a transverse portion solid with said lower block and having a lower face, a pair of inner abutting portions on the shells, said inner abutting portions being, when the shells are in fullyopened position, substantially in vertical alignment above said inner pivot means and in facing relation with said lower face of said transverse portion; a pair of outer abutting portions solid with the lower ends of said lateral arms, a pair of outer abutting surfaces on said shells, said outer abutting surfaces being, when the shells are in fully-opened position, in facing relation with said pair of outer abutting portions; inner abutment means removably disposed between said lower face of said transverse portion and said pair of inner abutting portions of said shells, and outer abutment means removably disposed between said outer abutting portions of said arms and said outer abutting surfaces of said shells.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said lateral arms have such curved sectional shape that the assembly constituted by said two lateral arms has a substantially cylindrical shape.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of said arms comprises a portion having a substantially semi-cylindrical shape and two plane longitudinal webs and said apparatus comprises a link whose ends are pivotably connected to said webs and interconnect said arms.

4. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said arms are interconnected through the medium of a pair of intermeshed toothed sectors solid with said arms.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said cableand-pulley means consists in a closing mechanism comprising a cable passing round a pulley block; said pulleyblock comprising: a lower beam pivotally connected with said lower-block, a pair of upper pulleys rotatively mounted in said upper transverse member, lower pulleys rotatively mounted in said lower beam, a fork attached to a fixed point of said lower beam, and shiftable attachrfnent means for attaching one end of said cable to said ork.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further comprising shoes removably fixed to the outer face of the arms toward the upper end of the latter so as to guide the upper end of the apparatus in the bore when the shells are opened to their maximum diameter.

7. Earth boring apparatus comprising an upper transverse member, two lateral vertical arms whose upper ends are pivoted to said transverse member, a central lower block, two cooperating grab shells, inner pivot means pivotally connecting said shells with said lower block, outer pivot means pivotally connecting said shells respectively to the lower ends of said arms, cable-andpulley means operatively connected with said upper transverse member and said lower block; a transverse portion solid with said lower block and having a lower face, a fair of inner abutting portions on the shells, said inner abutting portions being, when the shells are in fullyopened position, substantially in vertical alignment above said inner pivot means and in facing relation with said lower face of said transverse portion; a pair of outer abutting portions solid with the lower ends of said lateral arms, a pair of outer abutting surfaces on said shells, said outer abutting faces being, when the shells are in fully-opened position, in facing relation with said pair of outer abutting portions; an inner abutment block removably fixed to said lower face of said transverse portion to be engaged by said pair of inner abutting portions of said shells in the fully-opened position of said 5 shells, and a pair of outer abutment blocks removably fixed on said outer abutting faces of said shells to be engaged by said outer abutting portions of said arms in the fully-opened position of said shells.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Barnard Sept. 21, 1920 Wild Oct. 8, 1929

Claims

1. EARTH BORING APPARATUS COMPRISING AN UPPER TRANSVERSE MEMBER, TWO LATERAL VERTICAL ARMS WHOSE UPPER ENDS ARE PIVOTED TO SAID TRANSVERSE MEMBER, A CENTRAL LOWER BLOCK, TWO COOPERATING GRAB SHELLS, INNER PIVOT MEANS PIVOTALLY CONNECTING SAID SHELLS WITH SAID LOWER BLOCK, OUTER PIVOT MEANS PIVOTALLY CONNECTING SAID SHELLS RESPECTIVELY TO THE LOWER ENDS OF SAID ARMS, AND CABLE-ANDPULLEY MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED WITH SAID UPPER TRANSVERSE MEMBER AND SAID LOWER BLOCK; A TRANSVERSE PORTION SOLID WITH SAID LOWER BLOCK AND HAVING A LOWER FACE, A PAIR OF INNER ABUTTING PORTIONS ON THE SHELLS, SAID INNER ABUTTING PORTIONS BEING, WHEN THE SHELLS ARE IN FULLYOPENED POSITION, SUBSTANTIALLY IN VERTICAL ALIGNMENT ABOVE