Carrier arrangement for a working device
The invention relates to a support arrangement for a working machine as quoted in patent claim 1, especially for supporting of a working device such as a rock drilling equipment, an excavation scoop or the like. Such a support arrangement shall have to be adapted for the use with various forms of support equipment such as wheel or chain driven working machines or transport equipment with hydraulic supply.
Background From the norwegian patent specification 301134 it is known a working boom where a link arm at the outer end supports a hydraulically manoeuvrable working device at the end of which is arranged a support member which supports a further linked working boom by lowering the support member against a ground to serve as a support for the other linked working boom. In this way the first working boom becomes a support arm for the real, other working boom. With this solution the radius of action of an usual working boom is raised, but this solution doesn't fit properly for its use in other connections. Also it doesn't give much room to slant the working device.
Aim Therefore the main aim of the invention is to create a support arrangement with a working boom which is appropriate for a great range of jobs and for more different forms of support equipment as the support arrangements with working booms which are known.
It is a special aim to create a support arrangement which is provided with a greater possibility for slanting by putting against the ground as it is possible with the known support arrangements. Furthermore it is a special aim to create a support arrangement which can be anchored to the ground.
Invention The invention is indicated in patent claim 1. An important advantage of this form of execution is the possibility of an all-purpose use. With such a working boom it will be possible to essentially extend the working range in relation to the known equipment. First this applies concerning the possibility to adjust the working boom for
the mounting on several different support equipments such as tractors, load machinery and the like. With this it will be possible to mechanize a part of the processes, for example rock drilling, excavating and the like with the aid of more leightweight and more usual accessible equipment as it formerly was possible. In practice now a usual farm tractor can be used as a basis for the execution of different jobs which formerly required expensive special equipment.
Further advantageous designings of the invention are quoted in patent claims 2-11.
Example The invention is shown in the drawing, where
Fig. 1 shows a side view of a form of execution of a part of a support arrangement according to the invention, for example with a working boom which supports a drilling derrick as working device,
Fig. 2 shows an end view of the support arrangement shown in Fig. 1 , with the support pedestal (support element) shown in a slant position against a slanting ground, while
Fig. 3 shows a side view of a form of execution where a prolongation unit is inserted between a support device and a support arrangement as it is shown in Fig. 1 and 2, while Fig. 4 and 5 show alternative forms of execution.
In Fig. 1 and 2 it is shown a part of a support arrangement 10 with a base part 11 and a working boom of which it is shown an inner arm 12. Such working booms are known in different designings, with link arms which are manoeuvred by one or more hydraulic cylinders. The configuration and the operating mode will be adapted to the purpose for a device placed at the free end of the working boom. This can be a rock drilling unit, an excavation scoop, a hoisting claw or a working platform. The support arrangement 10 includes an attachment fitting 13 for a fast coupling which is mounted to a beam 14 which presents the basis in the base part 1 1 of the support arrangement. At one side of the base part 11 is provided a container 15 for picking up of drilling dust. With the use of an other working device will this be unnecessary.
The pedestal 13 includes a pedestal 16 with two diverging legs 17, where the connection yoke 18 between the legs is beared below the beam 14 by a pivot 19 which extend in the longitudinal direction of the beam. The bearing is adjusted for a certain slant positioning of the pedestal 16 to both sides from the middle position. In Fig. 2 is it shown in a slant position of 30° away from the
middle position. This makes it possible to lower the pedestal onto a slanted ground. At each end of the connection yoke 18 is attached a pair of attachment plates 20 for coupling of a piston 21 of a hydraulic cylinder 22. Each hydraulic cylinder 22 is pivotally mounted between a pair of plates 23 fastened to the support beam 14. The two hydraulic cylinders 22 are in this way arranged on one and the other side respectively of a vertical plane going through the pivot 19 and they are coupled by a manually operated hydraulic valve (not shown). If this is opened the pedestal 16 swivels free and adapts on the ground. If it is blockaded in this way the position of the pedestal 16 is locked.
The attachment fitting 13 is designed in a known manner for fast coupling to a corresponding fitting on the support equipment. Such a fast fixing can be arranged at the end of of a working boom on a mobile working or transporting machine, on a tractor, on a hoisting apparatus or an other equipment which is provided with a hydraulic power supply and with a sufficient weight to hold the base part 11 pressed down to the ground.
On the other end, the front end of the support beam 14 is fastened a bearing bracket 24 with a bearing of a vertical support pivot 25 which serves as a support for the link arm 12. For this purpose the support pivot 25 supports a rotary console 26 which can be swivelable by a not shown hydraulic motor and gear. The rotary console 26 supports the inner end of the inner link arm 12 which is a part of a working boom.
At the upper end the rotary console 26 has a pair of arms 28 with a transverse pivot 29 for linking of the inner link arm 12. In addition it is provided with a rising pair of arms 30 for coupling of a not shown hydraulic cylinder.
The control of the shown support arrangement can be done in known manner, for example by use of radio control.
The support arrangement according to the invention can be used together with a whole string of supporting machines, both wheel or chain driven working machines of different kind, or transport equipment.
The prerequisite is that there is accessible hydraulic oil with a sufficient pressure and that a sufficient weight load can be managed to ensure the necessary stability during the work.
Modifications
The pedestal 16 can have a twin placed with a mutual distance and generally coinciding swivel axles. In this way the support arrangement 11 gets four legs which can adapt itself in pairs to the ground, irrespective of each other. In this case the four cylinders which are required will be coupled over a four-way valve for locking in the right position.
It is also possible to use one or two support pedestals the swivel axles of which are arranged crosswise.
With an alternative form of execution a swivelable support pedestal can be combined with a stationary support leg so that a three-square support is obtained with one fixed and two movable support points. If the isolated support leg is made telescopically adjustable in the form of a hydraulic cylinder, all of the three cylinders can be coupled over a three- way valve which can be locked to make the system rigid when the right and stable position is reached.
It is also possible to couple two of such support arrangements with the working boom so that the inner one supports the outer one. In this way the radius of action for the equipment can essentially be extended. The condition is that there is sufficient weight to hold two base parts pressed down to the ground.
In the example the pedestal 16 is shown with a tip 31 at the end of each leg. Additionally to or instead of this there can be found a looming paw with a hole for guiding through of a rock drill or an equivalent metal rod. In this way the support arrangement can be locked to the ground by setting the drill down into the hole in the ground. In its utmost consequence such an anchoring can abolish the need for a support equipment. The support arrangement than can be anchored free-standing onto the ground, especially the rock, and be connected to a random hydraulic unit. This will create the possibility for designing of a very simple and lightweight equipment for excavating, supporting of rock drilling equipment and the like.
The support arrangement according to the invention also can be integrated with a extension unit 32 as shown in Fig. 3. This can have the form of a multi-linked arm structure with arms 33, 34, 35, 36, seen from inside to outside, which can be extended to a partly stretched, extended state or can be folded. In an example with four arm parts which are linked together this can be done with
the aid of four hydraulic cylinders 37, 38, 39, 40 which are shown schematically and which are coupled respectively between an attachment fitting 41 on the support equipment 42 and the inner arm 33, between the inner arm 33 and the neighbour arm 34, between the two middle arms 34 and 35 and between the next outer arm 35 and the outer arm 36. In addition a fifth hydraulic cylinder 43 between the outer arm 36 and a paw 44 resting on the base part 11 can be controlled to hold the base part 11 in the right position in relation to the ground at all positions of the prolongation unit 32. A middle link point 45 can be provided to be lowered to the ground for propping up against it.
At the inner end the prolongation unit 32 in the example is attached with a fast coupling to the attachment fitting 41. In this case the support equipment can be an excavation machine where the outer part of an arm 42 is shown.
By activating of the hydraulic cylinders 37 - 40 the four-parted prolongation unit 32 will be extended continuously between a folded keeping and transport position and a nearly completely extended outer position. At the outer end of the outer arm part 36 a support arrangement as shown in Fig. 1 and 2 can be attached with a fast coupling.
With an alternative form of execution, as illustrated in Fig. 4, the support element can comprise a transverse running beam 47 with a support leg 48 at each end which are link-connected and hydraulically up and down swivelable around a generally horizontal axis running crosswise to the beam. In this way the two hydraulic cylinders 49 can control the legs to individual positions between generally straight in relation to the beam and swiveled down towards an angle of about 90° to the beam. The adjusted position of the legs can be locked with the aid of the hydraulic cylinders.
Both of these forms of execution and those which are shown in Fig. 1 and 2 can be completed with a third, longitudinal directed and downwards swivelable leg 50 as shown in Fig. 5, which extends forward against and possibly inside below the inner arm 12. With such an additional support leg which is lowered and hold fixed by a hydraulic cylinder 51 it will be better safeguarded that the working device sinks and veers under use. By making the anchoring of this downwards swivelable leg swivelable over an angle around an generally vertical axis 52, possibly controlled by a further hydraulic cylinder, it becomes possible to ensure good support
against the ground for the feet of the legs also in an uneven terrain. The support legs can be telescopic.