The invention will be described further by way of embodiments, which are shown schematically in the accompanying drawings, wherein:
FIG. 1 shows a partially sectional view of a coupling device according to the invention in the release position;
FIG. 2 shows a partial view of the coupling device in accordance with FIG. 1 in the locking position;
FIG. 3 shows a side view of the coupling device of FIG. 1 and FIG. 2;
FIG. 4 shows a connecting portion of a drill rod and
FIG. 5 shows a partial view of a drilling apparatus with the coupling device according to the invention.
The construction and function of a coupling device according to the invention will be described by way of FIGS. 1 to 3. The coupling device 10 has a sleeve-shaped receiving socket 12, on the inner side of which axial ribs 28 are arranged for forming a keyway profile. On the outer side three locking devices 14 are arranged, which are mutually offset by 120°. Each locking device 14 comprises a sleeve-shaped housing 18, in which an approximately rectangular locking element 16 is supported in a movable manner. The front of the rectangular locking element 16 has a concave design to match the connecting portion to be locked. Moreover, a cylindrical, bolt-shaped sliding element 20 is supported in the housing 18 in an axially adjustable and pivotable manner. In the housing 18 an obliquely extending groove is applied that forms a slotted link 24. A cam 22 engages into the slotted link 24, which is arranged in a fixed manner on the bolt-shaped sliding element 20. By means of a pivot lever 26 fixed at the end of the sliding element 20 that projects from the housing 18 the sliding element can be pivoted by 180° in the present embodiment. Due to the interaction between the cam 22 and the slotted link 24 the sliding element is moved axially. As a result, the locking element 16 is adjusted from a retracted release position shown in FIG. 1 into a locking position according to FIG. 2.
The locking element 16 is resiliently supported on the sliding element 20. To this end the locking element 16 has a central bore 30 and the sliding element 20 has a central pin 32. Between the bore 30 and the pin 32 a helical spring 34 is arranged which pushes the sliding element 20 and the locking element 16 apart from each other. To delimit the sliding path a screw bolt 36 with a stop nut is arranged.
In FIG. 4 a connecting portion 62 is shown schematically, which can be welded to the free end of a drill rod. The connecting portion 62 has axial grooves 66 that correspond to the axial ribs 28 on the inner side of the receiving socket 12 so as to form a keyway connection. For engagement into the locking element 16 an annular groove is formed as a recess 64 on the connecting portion 62. The width of the groove corresponds to the width of the locking elements 16 so that they can engage in the recess 64 to produce an axial locking.
In FIG. 5 the arrangement of the coupling device 10 according to the invention on a drilling apparatus 70 is shown. The drilling apparatus 70 has a mast 78, along which a carriage 76 is guided and driven in a movable manner. On the carriage a drill drive 72 is supported that consists of a motor and a flanged-on gear. The receiving socket 12 of the coupling device 10 is welded to an output shaft 74 of the drill drive 72. For the coupling of a drill rod 60 it has a connecting portion 62 that has been described earlier on in conjunction with FIG. 4. A rotationally fixed connection is achieved by the mutually corresponding keyway profiles, whereas an axial locking is achieved through the locking elements 16 of the coupling device 10.
Patent Application
20070277988
