WO2009051522A1

WO2009051522A1 - Drill rig base with telescopic column and coupling

Info

Publication number: WO2009051522A1
Application number: PCT/SE2007/000899
Authority: WO
Inventors: Martin Larsson
Original assignee: Husqvarna Aktiebolag
Priority date: 2007-10-15
Filing date: 2007-10-15
Publication date: 2009-04-23
Also published as: SE534811C2; SE1000341A1

Abstract

The invention relates generally to concrete drilling machines and specifically to a telescopic (2) column included in a rig system for such machines and to a machine cart which may be employed as a base structure for said column. Wheels (10a,10b) of the cart are mounted on wheel holders (20a,20b) which can be turned about axes of rotation (21a,21b) which are perpendicular to an axis of rotation (14) of the wheels. The telescopic column includes a male coupling member (38) which is stationary secured to said base structure forming part of said cart, a female coupling member (39) in the lower end of the column, matching the male coupling member, a transversal threaded through hole in the male coupling member, and a screw (48) which is screwed from outside against a female coupling member wall. The invention also includes the coupling per se.

Description

DRILL RIG BASE WITH TELESCOPIC COLUMN AND COUPLING

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention generally relates to the construction industry, where it can be employed for concrete drilling machines. According to one specific application, the invention concerns a machine cart including a base structure which rests against a floor, ground or other bed when the machine intended to be carried by the cart is in or is ready for operation, and wheels for transportation of the cart, which wheels do not touch the bed when said base structure rests against the bed during the machine's normal position of operation.

According to another aspect of the invention, the invention concerns a telescopic column, and specifically a telescopic column which may be included in a rig system for concrete drilling machines including a base structure, said telescopic support column having a lower end and an upper end, and a coupling for attaching the support column to the base structure.

The invention also concerns the said coupling per se, regardless where it is employed. The first mentioned machine cart may advantageously be employed in connection with a rig system, in which the base structure of the rig system is the base structure which is included in said machine cart.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Rig systems for concrete drilling machines conventionally include a machine cart including a base structure and a telescopic support column, which is attached to the base structure by means of a coupling. When the assembly, which includes the drilling machine carried by a drill column attached to the telescopic support column, shall be transported from one place of operation to another place in a building, the wheels provided on the base structure are employed, wherein the base structure and the wheels mounted on the base structure form a transportation unit defined as a machine cart. The telescopic support column usually is considerably tall, and the drilling machine is heavy. The assembly including the machine cart, rig system and drilling machine therefore can be rather cranky. In order that it shall not overturn during transportation, it is desirable that the wheel distance shall be large. A large wheel distance, on the other hand, makes it difficult to roll the cart with the rig system and the drilling machine through narrow openings in a building. Therefore, the choice of wheel distance usually is the result of a compromise between stability and passability which gives neither a good stability nor a good passability. Also rig systems per se, which exist today, have quite a poor stability which is at least partly due to the coupling between the telescopic support column and the base structure, which may be included as a base structure of a transportation unit, herein referred to as machine cart. It is understood that a poor stability of the rig system due to a coupling which is not very tight or has other inconveniences as far as its stability is concerned, will have an undesirable impact on the stability of the overall equipment.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

It is a purpose of the invention to address the above mentioned problems. Specifically, it is a purpose to provide a machine cart which can find use as a support and a transportation means for rig systems for concrete drilling machines in the construction industry, but which can be employed also in other fields where the same or similar problems may exist. It is also desired, and is an objective of the invention, that the coupling, which is included in the rig system, can be used as a universal coupling useful also for e.g. attaching a sealing plate to the column and/or for coupling extension modules to the support column, as well as for other uses in connection with machine appliances in the construction industry.

These and other objectives can be carried out through what is stated in the characterising parts of independent claims.

Other objectives, advantages and characteristic features are stated in the dependent claims and/or in the following detailed description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS In the following detailed description, reference will be made to the accompanying drawings, in which

Fig. 1 illustrates, in a perspective view, a telescopic rig system for attaching concrete drilling machines, Fig. 2 shows a base structure of the rig system and a lower end of a first section of a telescopic support column and a lower end of a drill column attached to said base structure, Fig. 3 shows an upper end of an upper section of the telescopic support column with a ceiling plate assembly attached to said upper section of the telescopic support column,

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a machine cart including said base structure and two wheels in a first of two alternative positions,

Fig. 5 shows the machine cart with the wheels in a second of the two alternative positions, Fig. 6 shows, more in detail, a wheel holder and a mechanism for securing a wheel in either of the two alternative positions, Fig. 7 illustrates how the telescopic support column is attached to the base structure by means of a coupling of the invention,

Fig. 8 is a sectional view of the coupling along the lines VIII-VIII in Fig. 7, Fig. 9 is a sectional view of the same coupling along the lines IX-IX in Fig. 7, and Fig. 10 shows the ceiling plate and a male part of another coupling of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference first to Fig. 1, a telescopic rig system for attaching concrete drilling machines is generally designated 1. It includes a telescopic support column 2 including a lower, first section 3 and an upper, expandable section 4, which can be moved out from and into the first section 3. A drilling machine, which is not shown in the drawing, can be attached to a drill column 5 in a manner per se. The lower ends of the first section 3 of the telescopic support column 2 and of the drill column 5 are detachably secured to a base structure 6. During operation of the not shown drilling machine, the lower end of the drill column 5 is released from its engagement with the base structure 6, allowing the drill column 5 and the drilling machine to be directed against a floor, a wall or against the ceiling according to principles known in the art. A safe operation of the drilling machine requires that the rig system 1 is very stable. For that purpose the upper section 4 of the telescopic column 2 is pressed against the ceiling via a ceiling plate 7, which also per se is known in the art. Features of the present invention which also promote a good stability of the rig system will be explained in the following.

For the transportation of the rig system 1 with its attached drilling machine to a new place of operation, the system is provided with two wheels 10a, 10b, which are included in a unit which in this text is denominated machine cart 11. Each wheel 10a, 10b can adopt at least two alternative positions, independent of one another. Fig 4 shows the wheels in a first of these positions, in which the wheel distance in the axial direction is maximal. This is the normal position during transportation, because it improves the stability of the equipment, which otherwise is low, when the rig system 1 is not clamped between floor and ceiling. Fig. 5 shows each wheel in a second position after having turned each wheel around its respective second axis of rotation 21a, 21b approximately a half turn, i.e. approximately 180 degrees. In the second position the wheel distance is minimal and the wheels 10a, 10b are accommodated in an empty space 13 at the rear of the base structure 6. This position of the wheels is the normal position of the wheels during operation of the not shown drill, when it is desirable that the wheels shall not hinder the operator doing his work and/or the operation of the drilling machine. If the wheels are folded in, it also allows the machine cart 11 to be positioned close to a wall, which sometimes is desirable. It is also the normal position when the equipment shall be transported through narrow openings or when it from other reasons is desired that the machine cart 11 is made as compact as possible. It is also possible that only one of the two wheels 10a, 10b adopts one of said first and two positions, while the other wheel adopts the other one of said positions. Independent of the positions of the wheels 10a, 10b, the wheels 10a, 10b have a common axis of rotation 14 according to the preferred embodiment, although it can also be tolerated that the wheels, when folded in as shown in Fig. 5, form a slight angle to one and other. The main parts of the base structure 6 consist of two side members 15a, 15b, a front member 16, and a rear member 17, which are welded to one another to form a frame structure. In each corner of the frame structure, there is provided an adjusting screw 18 for maintaining the base structure horizontal during operation of the drilling machine.

Each one of the wheels 10a and 10b is mounted on a wheel holder 20a and 20b, respectively, which can be rotated about an axis of rotation 21a, 21b. The wheel holders 20a and 20b are equally designed and their axes 21a, 21b are perpendicular to the axis 14 of rotation of the wheels 10a, 10b. The wheel holders 20a and 20b are rotationally mounted in the end of a wheel holder carrier 22a and 22b, respectively. The wheel holder carriers 22a and 22b form extensions of the side members 15a and 15b, respectively, and extend rearwards and upwards from the rear ends of said side members 15a and 15b. This also means that the wheel holder carriers 22a and 22b extend from the region of the rear corners of the base structure 6. According to the embodiment, the wheel holder carriers 22a, 22b are straight members, which are directed obliquely upwards rearwards. Optionally, the wheel holder carriers could very well have some other design, e.g. be bent or bowed, provided the axis 14 of rotation of the wheels is located such that the wheels will be located at a suitable distance from the base structure 6 and from the floor or other bed, but the disclosed design of the wheel holder carriers 22a and 22b is believed to be most advantageous. However, it is a prerequisite that the two wheel holder carriers 22a and 22b are not connected with one another in the region between the wheels through connection members of some kind, which would prevent the wheels from adopting their second positions as shown in Fig. 5. The space 13 between the blade holder carriers 22a and 22b in other words shall be empty at least in the region between the wheels and void of any interconnecting members which could hinder the change of position of the wheels.

Each wheel 10a, 10b is rotationally journalled on a pivot 25, which is mounted, conveniently non-rotationally, in, and extends sideways from, the respective wheel holder 20a, 20b. The wheel holders 20a, 20b are connected to their respective wheel holder carrier 22a, 22b by means of a screw 26a, 26b which is coaxial with said axis of rotation 21a and 21b, respectively, and extends through the wheel holder and into a nut 27, which is stationary provided in the wheel holder carrier at a small depth from the end surface 29a, 29b of the wheel holder carrier. The nut 27 has an internal thread matching the thread of the screw 26a and 26b, respectively. The pivot 25 is secured in a hole in the respective wheel holder 20a, 20b and does not extend so deep into the respective wheel holder 20a, 20b that it will touch the screw 26a, 26b.

Each wheel holder carrier 22a, 22b has a non flat end surface 20a, 30b facing a non flat engagement surface 31a, 31b of the respective wheel holder 20a, 20b. Said end surfaces 30a, 31a and 30b, 31b, respectively, have profiles which match one another in said two alternative positions of the wheels 10a, 10b and of the wheel holders 20a, 20b but in no other position of the wheel holders. In the illustrated example, the end surfaces 30a, 30b of the wheel holder carriers have a convex circular cylindrical form, and the engagement surfaces 31a, 31b of the wheel holders have a matching concave circular cylindrical shape. This ensures that the wheel holders 20a, 20b will be safely secured in their positions once they have been clamped to the wheel holder carriers 22a, 22b by means of the screws 26a, 26. When the positions shall be changed, the screws 26a, 26b are eased so much, Fig. 6, that the respective wheel holder 20a, 20b can be turned 180° about its axis 21a, 21b, whereupon the wheel holders are secured in their new positions by means of the screws 26a, 26b. In their new positions of the wheel holders, the wheels 10a, 10b again have the common axis of rotation 14. The turning of the wheels in the released positions of the wheel holders is readily carried out manually by turning the wheels such that the wheel holders will be turned about their axes of rotation 21a, 21b.

The design of the drill column 5 and its attachment to the machine cart 6 in its transportation position, Fig. 1, via a female attachment member 33 on the front member 16 of the cart 6, belongs to prior art and will therefore not be described further. However, couplings 34 and 35 in the lower and upper ends, respectively, of the telescopic support column 2 of the invention shall now be explained. The coupling 34 for attaching the lower section 3 of the telescopic support column 2 to the base structure 11 includes a vertical male member 38 secured to the rear member 17 of the base structure 11 and a female member 39 including a circular cylindrical sleeve 59 inside the lower section 3 of the telescopic support column 2, in the bottom end thereof. The exterior of the male member 38, which is stationary, is attached to the base structure 11 as disclosed in Fig. 4. The coupling 35 at the top of the upper section 4 of the expandable support column 2, Fig. 3, includes an identical male member 38 which is directed vertically downwards, Fig. 10 and an identical female member 39. The male member 38 of either coupling 34, 35 consists of a short tube, which may be referred to as barrel. The barrel/male member 38 has an exterior, circumferential, shallow groove 42 midway between the ends of the barrel. Coaxial borings 44, 45 extend through the wall of the barrel 38 in the region of the groove 42. The holes 44, 45 face one another and are centrally located in said groove 42 and their common centre line intersects the centre line of the barrel/male member 38. The holes 44, 45 are threaded. The threads 46, 47 are made by means of a long thread tap such that a screw can be screwed through both holes 44, 45, matching the threads 46, 47 of both holes. Such screw is designated 48 in the drawings and its function will be explained further in the following. In the region of the holes 44, 45 which also means in the region of the external groove 42, the barrel/male member 38 has a thicker wall portion 49 such that the lengths of the holes 44, 45 and the lengths of the threads 46, 47 are increased.

In its front end, each male member 38 has two opposite, deep and broad recesses 53, 54 in its wall. The common plane of symmetry of the recesses 53, 54 is perpendicular to the common centre line of the holes 44, 45

The lower male member 38 is secured by welding to a square foot member 56 which is turned diagonally and secured by welding to the rear member 17 of the base structure 6. The lower section 3 of the support column 2 consists of a tube having square outer and inner cross sections. The outer square contour corresponds to the outer contour of the foot member 56. In the lower end of the lower section 3 of the support column 2, said lower section 3 is provided with the internal, circular cylindrical sleeve 59 defining the main part of the female member 39. The sleeve 59 contacts the four walls of the square lower section 3 and two of the opposite walls are provided with a hole 62 in which the internal circular cylinder 59 is secured to the outer square tube 3 through welding. The front end 63 of the circular cylindrical sleeve 59, which forms the female part of the female member 39, is in plane with the bottom end of the outer square tube/lower section 3. In its opposite, rear end, the female sleeve member 59 is provided with a horizontal, transversal bar 65, the two ends of which are attached to the upper, annular end surface 63 of the sleeve 59 through welds 67.

The circular cylindrical female sleeve member 59 is provided with an internal groove 70 facing the external groove 42 of the male member 38. The groove 70 has a width which approximately corresponds with that of the groove 42 in the male member 38 but it may also be considerably wider. The groove 70 has a concave bottom 71.

The bar 65 is parallel with two of the opposite walls of the outer square tube/lower section 3 and provided symmetrically relative to the side walls of the square tube 3. The thickness of the bar 65 corresponds to the width of the recesses 53, 54 in the male member 38 and the bar is located at such a distance from the front end annular end surface 63 of the female sleeve member 59 that it is accommodated in the recesses 53, 54, when the square tube/lower section 3 together with its internal female member 39 is thread on the male member 38, without contacting the inner ends of the recesses 53, 54 in the end of the male member 38.

In the coupling 35 of the top assembly 40, Fig. 3, the female member 39 is provided inside and welded to a piece of square tube 73, which is secured through welding to the upper section 4. The tube 73 has a cross section which is equal with that of the lower column section 3. The female member 39 of the top coupling 35 is equal with that of the lower coupling 34 but is turned upside down with reference to the female member of the lower coupling 34.

The male member 38 of the top coupling 35 is secured through welding to the bottom of a conical member 51 of a unit including the ceiling plate 7, the front end of the male member 38 pointing downwards. The male member 38 of the assembly, Fig. 4, is inserted into female member 39 on top of the upper section 4, the transversal bar 65 in the female member, and also a deflected part 74 of one of the walls of the upper section 4, in which a rack 75 is provided, entering tightly into the recesses 53, 54 of the male member as the male member is lowered into the female member.

When detachably securing any of the couplings 34, 35 when the male and female members have been connected and the transversal bar 65 in the respective female member has been tightly accommodated in the slots - in the upper coupling 35 including also the deflected portion 65 of the wall of the upper section 4 - the screw 48, which is accessible through a first through hole 51 in the outer, square tube 3 or 73 and second, coaxial through hole 52 in the female member - is screwed tightly against the concave bottom 71 of the annular groove 70 in the inner surface of the female sleeve member 59, Fig. 9. The force and pressure exerted by screw 48 on the sleeve 59 is indicated by arrow 66. Driving the screw 48 further against the sleeve 59 causes the male member 38 to move in the opposite direction, to the extent that is possible because of play between the male and female members, and be pressed against the inner surface of female sleeve member 59 on both sides of the groove 70, by forces indicated by arrows 68 and 69. The pattern of forces 66, 68, and 69 causes the male member 38 and sleeve 59 and the female member 39 to be clamped together most efficiently. The engagement of the transversal bar 65 in the recesses 53, 54 in the front end of the male member 38 complete the clamping efficiency, contributing to the desired stability of the couplings 34, 35 and hence to the stability of the support column 2 and to the entire rig system 1.

Couplings of the invention, including male and female members 38 and 39 identical with those employed in the couplings 34 and 35, can be used also for other connections. For example, couplings of the invention can be used for connection of one or more extension modules to the telescopic support column 2, which conveniently is/are connected in the lower end of the column. The extension modules may consist of square tubes of same dimension as the tube of the lower section 3. In such extension modules, the female member 39 is provided in the lower end of the module tube, in the same mode as a female member 39 is provided in the square tube section 73, Fig. 3, while a male member 38 is attached through welding on top of the module tube like the male member 38 is attached to foot plate 56 on the support structure 6. This illustrates that the coupling of the invention is a versatile tool, whose employment has a wide field of application.

Claims

1. Machine cart including a base structure (6) which rests against a floor, ground or other bed when the machine intended to be carried by the cart is in or is ready for operation, and wheels (10a, 10b) for transportation of the cart, which wheels do not touch the bed when said base structure rests against the bed during the machine's normal position of operation, characterised in that the cart is provided with a first and a second wheel which both can be rotated about a first axis of rotation (14), that at least said first wheel is mounted on a first wheel holder (20a, 20b) which can be turned about a second axis of rotation (21a, 21b), which is perpendicular to said first axis of rotation, that locking members (26a, 26b, 31a, 31b) are provided for locking the wheel holder at least in a first position and in a second position, in which second position said first wheel is turned approximately a half turn about said second axis of rotation relative to said first position.

2. Machine cart according to claim 1, characterised in that the axis of rotation of said first wheel is maintained coaxial with the axis of rotation of said second wheel in said first and second positions.

3. Machine cart according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that said first wheel holder is rotationally mounted in the end of a first wheel holder carrier (22a, 22b) extending from said base structure.

4. Machine cart according to claim 3, wherein the base structure has a front side, a rear side, and two lateral sides, characterised in that the first wheel holder carrier extends rearwards and upwards from a corner or from adjacent to a corner between said rear side and a first one of said lateral sides of the base structure.

5. Machine cart according to claim 4, characterised in that the first wheel holder carrier is a straight arm extending obliquely rearwards-upwards from the base structure.

6. Machine cart according to any of claims 1-5, characterised in that said first wheel is rotationally journalled on a pivot which is non-rotationally mounted in and extends sideways from said wheel holder.

7. Machine cart according to any of claims 3-6, characterised in that the end of the wheel holder carrier has a non flat end surface facing a non flat engagement surface of the wheel holder, and that said end surface and said engagement surface have profiles which match one another in said first position as well as in said second position but in no other position of the wheel holder, and at least one fastening devise is provided for detachably securing the wheel holder face to face to the wheel holder carrier in any of said first and second positions in which said end surface of the wheel holder contact the engagement surface of the wheel holder carrier.

8. Machine cart according to claim 7, characterised in that the wheel holder has a rear end surface which is opposite said engagement surface, and that said at least one fastening device includes a screw extending from said rear end surface, through the wheel holder and through from said engagement surface of the wheel holder to said end surface of the wheel holder carrier and into the wheel holder carrier, and that a matching nut is provided in either end of the screw.

9. Machine cart according to claim 8, characterised in that said matching nut is provided stationary in the wheel holder carrier at a distance from said end surface of the wheel holder carrier.

10. Machine cart according to any of claims 1-9, characterised in that said second wheel is provided with a second wheel holder on a second wheel holder carrier, and that the second wheel holder and the second wheel holder carrier are equal with said first wheel holder and said first wheel holder carrier, respectively, that they are provided with equal means as said first wheel holder and said first wheel holder carrier for positioning and locking the second wheel holder and hence said second wheel in said two opposite positions, and that said second wheel holder carrier extends rearwards and upwards from a corner or from adjacent to a corner between said rear side and a second one of said lateral sides of the base structure, opposite to said first lateral side, allowing the wheel distance to be changed depending on the selected lateral positions of the two wheels.

11. Machine cart according to claim 10, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that said first and second wheel holder carriers are void of any interconnecting member between them in the region of the space between said first and second wheel, allowing the wheels to adopt positions between said first and second wheel holder carrier.

12. Telescopic column (2) having a lower end and an upper end, at least a lower section and an upper section, and a coupling (13) for attaching the lower section of the column to a base structure (6), c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that said coupling includes a male coupling member (38), which is stationary secured to the base structure, a female coupling member (39) in the lower end of the column, matching said male coupling member, a threaded through hole (44,45) in the male coupling member transversal to the longitudinal centre line of the male coupling member, a screw (48) in said threaded hole, matching the thread of the hole, said screw being accessible from outside through an aligned series of holes (51,52) in said support column and said female coupling member for screwing the screw against a female coupling member wall on the opposite side of said aligned holes.

13. Telescopic column having a lower end and an upper end, at least a lower section and an upper section, and a coupling for attaching the lower section of the column to a base structure, said sections of the column having non-circular square sections, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that said coupling includes a female member with a square section whose inner and outer contours are circular along at least 50 % of the length of the female member, that said female member is permanently secured in the lower end of the lower section, contacting all inner surfaces of said lower section having a non-circular square section, and that the coupling includes a male member which also has a square section whose outer contour is circular along at least 50 % of the length of the male member, matching the circular inner contour of the female member.

14. Coupling (34) including a male member (38) and a female member (39) matching one another, said male and female members having inner and outer surfaces which have circular cross sections along at least 50 % of the length of said surfaces, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that an annular groove (42, 70) is provided in at least one of said male and female members, in the outer and inner surface thereof, at a distance from the ends of the member, that a screw (48) matching a threaded hole (44,45) in at least one wall of one of the coupling members is provided for pressing, by screwing said screw in said hole, the outer and inner surfaces of the male and female members on both sides of said annular groove, which surfaces have circular cross sections, against one another, that two opposite recesses (53,54) are provided in the wall of the male member in a front end thereof, and that a transversal bar (65) is provided in an inner end of the female member in a direction which is perpendicular to a centre plane of said recesses in the male member, said transversal bar being entered in said recesses when the male and female members are connected, the width of said transversal bar matching the width of said recesses.

15. Coupling including a male member and a female member matching one another, said male and female members having inner and outer surfaces which have circular cross sections along at least 50 % of the length of said surfaces, c h a r a c t e r i s e d in that an annular groove (42, 70) is provided in at least one of said male and female members, in the outer and inner surface thereof, at a distance from the ends of the member, that two diagonal through holes (44, 45) with matching threads (46, 47) are provided in the wall of the male member in the region of said annular groove, that a coaxial through hole (52) is provided in the wall of the female member on one side therefore for screwing the screw against the wall of the female member on the side of the female member opposite the side where the said through hole in the wall of the female member is provided, such that the male and female members are clamped against one another by forces including the force (66) of the screw (48) acting directly against the female member and forces (68, 69) of the male member acting in the opposite direction against the inner surface of the female member on both sides of said through hole (52) in the wall of the female member.