Patent Application
20190085524
The present invention relates to the field of drilling in ground, in particular for the purpose of constructing foundations, such as for example continuous screens constituted by juxtaposed concrete wall elements.
The invention relates more precisely to a drilling machine for excavating in ground in a drilling direction that is substantially vertical, and more particularly in hard soil.
More particularly, the invention relates to a machine having both a bottom portion provided with cutter members and also a top portion, the drilling machine presenting a longitudinal direction extending between the top portion and the bottom portion of the drilling machine, the drilling machine comprising:
an anchor module having a front face and a rear face, the anchor module comprising at least one anchor device having at least one front anchor pad arranged on the front face and at least one rear anchor pad arranged on the rear face, the front and rear anchor pads being deployable in a deployment direction that extends transversely to the longitudinal direction of the drilling machine so as to bear against walls of the excavation in order to hold the anchor module stationary in the ground; and
a drilling module carrying the cutter members, the drilling module co-operating with the anchor module.
That type of drilling machine is generally used for drilling in hard soil, e.g. in granite. The movement device serves to exert additional thrust on the drilling tools, for the purpose of facilitating excavation.
Such a machine is described in particular in EP 0 811 724. It can be understood that the anchor module serves to hold the drilling machine stationary in the excavation. Nevertheless, that drilling machine does not make it possible effectively to correct the drilling path. Correcting the drilling path of the drilling machine requires its position in the trench to be modified. After modifying its position, the drilling machine is generally no longer centered in the excavation but is closer to one of the larger walls than it is to the opposite wall. Also, deploying anchor pads has the effect of recentering the drilling machine in the excavation, thereby modifying the position of the machine, and consequently once more skewing the drilling path.
An object of the present invention is to propose a drilling machine suitable for being anchored without changing the transverse position of the drilling machine in the excavation.
The invention achieves this object by the fact that the anchor device comprises:
a frame carrying the front and rear anchor pads, the frame supporting the drilling module; and
an actuator device to which the front and rear anchor pads are fastened, the actuator device presenting a retracted state in which the front and rear anchor pads are retracted, and a deployed state in which the front and rear anchor pads are deployed, the actuator device acting on the front and rear anchor pads while being movable relative to the frame in a movement direction that extends parallel to the deployment direction;
whereby the assembly constituted by the front anchor pad, the rear anchor pad, and the actuator device is movable relative to the frame and to the drilling module in the movement direction.
It can be understood that there exists a sliding connection between the assembly constituted by the front and rear anchor pads together with the actuator device for sliding relative to the frame carrying the drilling module, this sliding connection extending in the movement direction that extends transversely relative to the longitudinal direction. Advantageously, the assembly constituted by the front anchor pad, the rear anchor pad, and the actuator device is movable freely relative to the frame and to the drilling module in the movement direction. This is a so-called “floating” mount.
During anchoring, the actuator device is deployed so as to bring the front and rear anchor pads into the deployed position. For example, if the front anchor pad comes to bear against one of the walls of the excavation before the rear anchor pad, then the actuator device and the rear anchor pad move transversely along the movement direction relative to the frame until the rear anchor pad in turn comes into contact with the opposite wall. The deployment of the front and rear anchor pads and the movement of the actuator device take place relative to the frame and to the drilling module, so it can be understood that the drilling module remains stationary during the anchoring stage. Furthermore, by means of the invention, the front and rear anchor pads are deployed without changing the transverse (usually horizontal) position of the drilling module relative to the walls of the excavation.
In other words, after correctly positioning the drilling module in the ground, the invention makes it possible to anchor the anchor module in the ground without changing the horizontal position of the drilling module. By means of the invention, anchoring does not modify the drilling path.
Amongst other things, the invention thus makes it possible to improve the accuracy of the drilling path.
In a first embodiment of the invention, the actuator device comprises a body fastened to the frame so as to be slidable in a direction parallel to the movement direction. Thus, in this first embodiment, the actuator performs two functions: specifically both moving the front and rear anchor pads, and also guiding the movement of the frame with the drilling module relative to the front and rear anchor pads. In this first embodiment, the actuator device is fastened to the frame so that the sliding connection between the front and rear anchor pads is provided by the actuator device.
Advantageously, the actuator device is an jack having its cylinder fastened to the frame in slidable manner and to one of the front and rear anchor pads, while the rod of the jack is fastened to the other one of the front and rear anchor pads.
In a variant, the actuator device is an jack having its cylinder fastened in slidable manner to the frame, the jack having a first rod fastened to the front anchor pad and a second rod on the same axis as the first rod and fastened to the rear anchor pad.
In a second embodiment, the anchor device further comprises:
a front guide device for guiding the movement of the front anchor pad relative to the frame in the deployment direction; and/or
a rear guide device for guiding the movement of the rear anchor pad relative to the frame in the deployment direction.
The front and rear guide devices serve to guide the deployment of the front and rear anchor pads, and also the movement of the anchor pads and of the actuator device relative to the drilling module, which remains stationary during the anchoring stage.
Another advantage of adding front and rear guide devices is to transfer longitudinal forces thereto, thereby dissociating the functions of deploying the pads and of taking up the (vertical) longitudinal forces. This also enables the frame to take up greater longitudinal forces, e.g. associated with the weight of the drilling module, thus having the effect of improving the robustness of the drilling machine.
Preferably, in the second embodiment, the actuator device as such is not directly connected to the frame. This so-called “floating” mount has the effect of enabling the frame to move easily relative to the assembly constituted by the front and rear anchor pads and the actuator device.
In preferred manner, the front guide device includes at least a first front guide member that is fastened to the front anchor pad, the first front guide member being mounted to the frame so as to be slidable along a direction parallel to the deployment direction.
To do this, the frame may include by way of example a hole in which the first front guide member is slidably mounted.
In order to avoid the first guide member being disengaged from the frame, the first front guide member includes an abutment to limit the amplitude of the movement of the first front guide member in the frame.
Preferably, but not exclusively, the abutment is arranged at the end of the first front guide member that is remote from the fastening portion of said first front guide member.
Advantageously, in order to further improve the ability to take up longitudinal forces, the front guide device further includes a second front guide member identical to the first front guide member, the first and second front guide members being arranged on either side of the actuator device.
Preferably, the rear guide device is similar to the front guide device.
Thus, the rear guide device includes at least one first rear guide member that is fastened to the rear anchor pad by a fastener portion, the first rear guide member being mounted on the frame so as to be slidable along a direction parallel to the deployment direction.
Advantageously, in order to further improve the ability to take up longitudinal forces, the rear guide device further includes a second rear guide member identical to the first rear guide member, the first and second guide members being arranged on either side of the actuator device.
Advantageously, the front and rear anchor pads are fastened to the actuator device in hinged manner. This hinging, comprising at least one pivot connection of horizontal axis, and preferably a ball joint connection, enables the front and rear anchor pads to take up positions parallel to the walls of the excavation. This has the effect of maximizing the contact area between the anchor pads and the walls of the excavation, thereby improving the anchoring of the anchor module in the excavation.
Preferably, with reference to the second embodiment, the front anchor pad is fastened to the front guide device in hinged manner, and the rear anchor pad is fastened to the rear guide device in hinged manner.
More preferably, each of the front and rear anchor pads is hinged relative to the first and second front and rear guide members.
Advantageously, the assembly constituted by the front anchor pad, the rear anchor pad, the front guide device, and the rear guide device forms a deformable trapezoid, the frame of the anchor module together with the drilling module being movable relative to said deformable trapezoid in the deployment direction. When the anchor pads are deployed, the deformable trapezoid constitutes a rigid single-piece structure serving to guide the movement of the drilling module relative to the walls of the excavation, which are not strictly vertical, to provide effective anchoring, and to do so while supporting the anchor module.
In a preferred embodiment, the actuator device comprises at least one jack. In a variant, the actuator device comprises two parallel jacks arranged side by side.
In another advantageous aspect of the invention, the drilling machine further comprises a movement device arranged between the anchor module and the drilling module to move the cutter members relative to the anchor module in the longitudinal direction of the drilling machine.
The cutter members are advantageously moved longitudinally after the anchor module has been anchored in the ground, thereby making it possible in particular to exert downwardly directed thrust on the cutter members. For this purpose, the movement device acts on the drilling module in order to move it downwards in the longitudinal direction. The drilling machine then presents a deployed position in which the cutter members are moved away from the anchor module, and a retracted position in which the cutter members are brought into the proximity of the anchor module.
Advantageously, the drilling module comprises a bottom section carrying the cutter members and a top section extending in the longitudinal direction, the top section of the drilling module being suspended from the bottom end of a lift cable.
It can be understood that in the invention the lift cable is fastened to the drilling module, unlike prior art Document EP 0 811 724, in which the lift cable is fastened to the anchor module. In the invention, actuating the lift cable serves to move the drilling module relative to the anchor module in the longitudinal direction, providing the anchor module is anchored in the ground.
An advantage is to reduce the load supported by the movement device when the anchor module is not anchored in the ground. The movement device carries only the anchor module, which is lighter than the drilling module.
Advantageously, the movement device comprises at least one thrust jack arranged between the frame of the anchor device and the bottom section of the drilling module, the top section of the drilling module being movable relative to the frame of the anchor device along said longitudinal direction.
It can be understood that actuating the thrust jack has the effect of lowering the bottom section of the drilling module carrying the cutter members, co-operation between the top section and the drilling module serving to guide the movement.
In a preferred variant, the top section is a bar that passes longitudinally through the anchor module. The bar is mounted to slide relative to the frame of the anchor device.
Advantageously, the anchor module includes a plurality of anchor elements, the frames of the anchor elements being secured to one another, in order to form a framework. The top section of the drilling module is preferably mounted to slide relative to the framework. For this purpose, the framework may include guide members forming sleeves in which the top section, and in particular the bar, is slidably mounted.
In an advantageous aspect of the invention, the anchor module further includes path correction means for causing the drilling module to pivot in a vertical plane.
Actuating the path correction means enables the position of the cutter members to be corrected by modifying the three-dimensional position of the drilling module in the excavation. After that, the anchor pads are deployed so as to hold the anchor module stationary in the ground. As a result of the front and rear anchor pads together with the actuator device being movable relative to the frame carrying the drilling module, the front and rear anchor pads move without moving the drilling module.
Thereafter, actuating the movement device has the effect of exerting thrust on the cutter members in a downward direction along the corrected drilling direction, thereby making it possible to continue drilling in the desired direction.
Advantageously, the path correction means comprise path correction pads that are deployable in a direction that extends transversely to the drilling module in order to bear against at least one of the walls of the excavation so as to cause the drilling module to pivot in the vertical plane.
When the path correction pad comes to bear in such a manner as to exert thrust against the excavation wall, that causes the drilling module to move in a direction opposite to the deployment direction of the path correction pad.
The path correction pads are arranged on the front face and the rear face of the drilling module.
Preferably, the path correction pads are arranged on the top section and/or on the bottom section of the drilling module.
In order to facilitate pivoting of the drilling module, the path correction pads are arranged on the front faces and rear faces of the top and bottom sections of the drilling module.
The invention can be better understood on reading the following description of embodiments given as non-limiting examples, and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
As can be seen in
The drilling machine 10 also has an anchor module 30 that presents a front face 32 and a rear face 34 opposite from the front face 32. When the excavation machine is in the ground, the front and rear faces 32 and 34 face the larger walls P1 and P2 of the excavation E. The smaller walls P3 and P4 of the excavation are perpendicular to the larger walls P1 and P2 of the excavation E, and can be seen in
The anchor module 30 has a plurality of anchor devices 40 that serve, when actuated, to hold the anchor module stationary in the ground. These anchor devices are described in greater detail below.
The drilling machine 10 also has a drilling module 50 that is arranged at the bottom portion 14 of the drilling machine, the drilling module 50 carrying the cutter members 16.
In this example, the drilling module 50 is movable in translation relative to the anchor module along the longitudinal direction L. In order to move the drilling module 50 relative to the anchor module 30, the drilling machine 10 also has a movement device 60 that is arranged between the anchor module 30 and the drilling module 50. In this example, the movement device 60 is constituted by two thrust jacks 62 and 64 that serve to exert thrust on the cutter members 16 when the anchor module is anchored in the ground, this thrust in the longitudinal direction being directed downwards.
The drilling module 50 also has a bottom section 52 that carries the cutter members, and a top section 54 that extends from a top end 52a of the bottom section of the drilling module 50 in the longitudinal direction L. Furthermore, as can be seen in
It can be understood that the movement device 60, in particular the thrust jacks 62, 64, is arranged between a bottom end 30b of the anchor module 30 and the top end 52a of the bottom section 50 of the bottom section 52 of the drilling module 50.
With reference to
Each anchor element 40 comprises a front anchor pad 42 arranged on the front face 32 of the anchor module 30, and a rear anchor pad 44 arranged on the rear face 34 of the anchor module 30. As can be understood from
In order to improve the anchoring, the front and rear anchor pads are provided with spikes 46 in this example, which spikes are arranged on the outer faces of the anchor pads that face the walls.
The anchor device 40 also has a frame 70 that carries the front and rear anchor pads 32 and 34. As can be understood from
With reference once more to
For this purpose, the cylinder 76 includes a slot 78 that co-operates with a guide finger 79 of the frame 70.
The actuator device 72 presents a retracted state in which the front and rear anchor pads 42 and 44 are retracted, and a deployed state, as shown in
It can thus be understood that the assembly constituted by the front anchor pad 42, the rear anchor pad 44, and the actuator device 72 (the jack 74) is movable relative to the frame 70 and to the drilling module in the movement direction D2.
With reference once more to
As can be understood from
The anchor device 40′ shown in
With reference to
The anchor device 140 has a front anchor pad 142 that is arranged in the front face 32 of the drilling module 30 of the
The anchor device 140 also has a frame 170 that supports the drilling module 50 via the above-described movement device 60.
The anchor device 140 also has an actuator device 172 that has the front and rear anchor pads 142 and 144 fastened thereto.
In this second embodiment, the actuator device 172 has a first jack 1741 and a second jack 1742, each of the first and second jacks 1741 and 1742 having a respective rod 1781, 1782 that is fastened in hinged manner to the rear anchor pad 144 via pivot connections of substantially horizontal axes Y1, Y2. The first and second jacks 1741, 1742 have respective cylinders 1761, 1762 that are fastened in hinged manner to the front anchor pad 142 via pivot connections of axes X1 and X2 that are substantially horizontal.
The actuator device 172 presents a retracted state, shown in
Unlike the first embodiment, the actuator device 172 is not directly connected to the frame 170.
Without going beyond the ambit of the invention, the actuator device 172 could have only one jack.
As can be seen in
The front guide device 180 also has a second front guide member 188 that is identical to the first front guide member 182, the first and second front guide members 180 and 188 being arranged on either side of the actuator device 172. It is specified that the second front guide member 188 is likewise fastened to the front anchor pad 142 in hinged manner.
Insofar as the first and second front guide members are slidably mounted in the frame 170, the hinge between the second front guide member 188 and the front anchor pad 142 is adapted to allow a small amount of movement in translation along the longitudinal direction L so as to allow the front anchor pad to slope relative to the rear anchor pad.
The anchor device 140 also has a rear guide device 190 for guiding movement of the rear anchor pad 144 relative to the frame 170 in the deployment direction D1. The rear guide device 190 is very similar to the front guide device 180, so it is described more distinctly. The rear guide device comprises a first rear guide member 192 that is fastened to the rear anchor pad 144 in hinged manner about an axis of rotation Y3 parallel to the axes Y1 and Y2, the first rear guide member 192 also being mounted on the frame 170 so as to be slidable along the deployment direction D1. The rear guide device 190 also has a second rear guide member 198 identical to the first rear guide member 192, the first and second rear guide members being arranged on either side of the actuator device 172. In addition, in this second embodiment, the first and second front guide members 182 and 188 are arranged on either side of the first and second rear guide members 192 and 198.
Insofar as the frame 170 is mounted to slide along the deployment direction D1 relative to the first and second front and rear guide members 182, 188, 192, 198, it can be understood that the frame 170 can move in the deployment direction D1, which then constitutes the movement direction D2 even while the anchor module is anchored in the ground. As a result, the frame 170 of the anchor module 30 with the drilling module 50 can be moved relative to the trapezoid in the movement direction D2.
With reference to
With reference once more to
These path correction means 90 comprise first path correction pads 92 arranged on the front face of the bottom section that can be deployed in a direction T parallel to the axis of rotation A, B of the drums in order to bear against at least one of the walls P1, P2 of the excavation E in order to cause the drilling module to pivot in the vertical plane Q1. In this example, the path correction means 90 also include second path correction pads 94 arranged on the rear face of the bottom section 52 of the drilling module 50. The deployable pads 92, 94 are arranged in this example on the bottom section of the drilling module. Other deployable pads could also be provided arranged on the top section of the drilling module, in order to facilitate pivoting the drilling module in the vertical plane Q1.
With reference to
In the example of
After anchoring the anchor module 30, the movement device is actuated so as to exert downwardly-directed thrust on the cutter members 16 so as to continue drilling in a corrected drilling direction F, which is now vertical.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1558428 | Sep 2015 | FR | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/FR2016/052251 | 9/8/2016 | WO | 00 |
