U.S. patent application number 09/280153 was filed with the patent office on 2001-11-29 for drilling tool magazine.
Invention is credited to BAYER, HANS-JOACHIM, BRAUNING, UWE, COTTONE, NOBERT, DORFLER, GUNTHER, KELLER, MICHAEL, STECK, ALEXANDER.
Application Number | 20010045301 09/280153 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 7862647 |
Filed Date | 2001-11-29 |
United States Patent
Application |
20010045301 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
BAYER, HANS-JOACHIM ; et
al. |
November 29, 2001 |
DRILLING TOOL MAGAZINE
Abstract
To provide a drilling tool magazine and a horizontal boring
machine having such a drilling tool magazine in which automatic and
reliable handling and access to any of the drilling tools to be
handled is ensured, the drilling tool magazine (10) which is
particularly suitable for horizontal boring machines (5) is fitted
with a plurality of tool bays (12) so as to receive tools (8) in an
essentially horizontal position; these tool bays are each formed by
at least one drive catch (14) movable along a conveyance path.
Inventors: |
BAYER, HANS-JOACHIM;
(ETTLINGEN, DE) ; DORFLER, GUNTHER; (PFINZTAL,
DE) ; STECK, ALEXANDER; (STUTTGART, DE) ;
KELLER, MICHAEL; (AALEN, DE) ; COTTONE, NOBERT;
(STEINENBRONN, DE) ; BRAUNING, UWE; (STUTTGART,
DE) |
Correspondence
Address: |
FITCH EVEN TABIN & FLANNERY
120 SOUTH LASALLE STREET
SUITE 1600
CHICAGO
IL
606033406
|
Family ID: |
7862647 |
Appl. No.: |
09/280153 |
Filed: |
March 26, 1999 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
175/52 ; 175/162;
175/85 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E21B 19/15 20130101;
Y10T 483/1891 20150115 |
Class at
Publication: |
175/52 ; 175/85;
175/162 |
International
Class: |
E21B 019/15; E21B
019/08 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 22, 1998 |
DE |
DE198 13 698.6 |
Claims
1. A drilling tool magazine (10), particularly for horizontal
boring machines (5), comprising a plurality of tool bays (12) for
receiving tools (8); said tool bays (12) each being formed by at
least one drive catch (14) movable along a conveyance path.
2. A drilling tool magazine according to claim 1, wherein said
drilling tool magazine is a chain magazine comprising at least one
chain (16) revolving around at least one magazine axis (18,
20).
3. A drilling tool magazine according to claim 2, wherein said
drive catches (14) are coupled to said at least one chain (16).
4. A drilling tool magazine according to claim 2, wherein said at
least one chain (16) rotates in a meandering shape around a
plurality of magazine axes (18, 20).
5. A drilling tool magazine according to claim 2, wherein said tool
bays (12) are aligned parallel to said at least one magazine axis
(18, 20).
6. A drilling tool magazine according to claim 2, wherein said
chain magazine comprises two revolving chains (16), each of said
chains being disposed next to an end region of said tool bays
(12).
7. A drilling tool magazine according to claim 1, wherein said
drilling tool magazine comprises at least one removal site (30)
enabling said tools (8) to be removed from each tool bay (12) at an
angle.
8. A drilling tool magazine according to claim 7, wherein said
removal site is formed by a slot-like aperture (30), the dimensions
of which essentially correspond to those of said tool bays
(12).
9. A drilling tool magazine according to claim 1, wherein said
drilling tool magazine further comprises at least one feeding means
(50) for inserting and removing said tools (8) into and out of said
tool bays (12).
10. A drilling tool magazine according to claim 9, wherein each
feeding means (50) is supported in a rotating manner around a
rotary axis (53), said rotary axis being disposed parallel to said
tool bays.
11. A drilling tool magazine according to claim 9, wherein each
feeding means (50) comprises a receiving member (56) for receiving
the tools in a form-locked manner.
12. A drilling tool magazine according to claim 9, wherein two
feeding means (50) are provided, each of said feeding means being
disposed in an end region of said drilling tool magazine.
13. A drilling tool magazine according to claim 9, wherein at least
one gripping device (60) is also provided for removing and
inserting the tools out of and into said at least one feeding means
(50).
14. A drilling tool magazine according to claim 1, wherein said
drilling tool magazine further comprises at least one feeding means
(50) for inserting and removing said tools (8) into and out of said
tool bays (12); and each gripping device (60) is supported in a
rotating manner around a pivoting axis (62), said pivoting axis
being disposed parallel to said tool bays.
15. A drilling tool magazine according to claim 14, wherein each
gripping device (60) comprises a gripping member (64) with which
the tools can be seized in a form-locked and/or force-locked
manner.
16. A drilling tool magazine according to claim 14, wherein the
number of gripping devices (60) corresponds to the number of
feeding means (50).
17. A drilling tool magazine according to claim 14, wherein two
gripping devices (60) are provided, one of said gripping devices at
a time being disposed in an end region of said drilling tool
magazine.
18. A drilling tool magazine according to claim 1, wherein said
tool bays are delimited by guide walls (24, 26), said guide walls
being located parallel to said tool bays.
19. A drilling tool magazine according to claim 1, wherein said
drilling tool magazine further comprises a motor drive (20, 22, 34,
38) which acts upon said at least one chain (16).
20. A drilling tool magazine according to claim 19, wherein said
drive acts upon said at least one chain via a switching free-wheel
(34).
21. A horizontal boring machine (5) in combination with a drilling
tool magazine (10) according to at least one of the preceding
claims.
Description
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0001] The present invention relates to the storage, by means of a
drilling tool magazine, of elongated tools and workpieces whose
cross section is at least approximately circular, particularly for
horizontal boring machines. The present invention also relates to a
horizontal boring machine combined with such a drilling tool
magazine.
PRIOR ART
[0002] Special-purpose drilling equipment and corresponding
drilling techniques are used both in deep drilling engineering and
in horizontal boring engineering for laying pipelines and cables
without digging trenches. In this way, articulated rotating
drilling tools are forced through the earth and after reaching the
target they are rotationally withdrawn again.
[0003] The drilling tool used here comprises individual drilling
rods which have threads at their ends and are screwed together at
these threads. During drilling, the drilling tool is produced by
screwing together the individual drilling rods. During the
withdrawal operation, the tool has to be broken up again, i.e. the
individual drilling rods have to be successively unscrewed from one
another.
[0004] During the process of screwing and unscrewing, the drilling
rods have to be held between the drilling drive and the end of the
drilling tool. It is also advantageous to store them close to the
drilling machine until the individual drilling rods are used.
[0005] To store the individual drilling rods, magazine storage
systems are known in which it was intended to be possible to
successively remove the drilling rods out of the magazine and
position them on a drilling mount so that the drilling tool can be
screwed. During the process of unscrewing the drilling tool, it was
also intended to be possible to receive the rods and guide the
drilling rods back into the magazine
[0006] Pipe magazines comprising chutes or throughput magazines
that can be filled from above are for example known from the prior
art, whereby inside the chutes or throughput magazines, the force
of gravity causes the pipes to fall downwards in a straight line or
to move downwards in a meandering shape.
[0007] An example of a known device for handling drilling rods is
described in WO 96/26349 (see FIG. 13). The known magazine has
three vertical chutes 110, 120, 130 in which the drilling rods 100
are received. The drilling rods 100 are supplied to the magazine in
a filling position 140 and removed therefrom in a removal position
142. The drilling rods 100 are removed and supplied by means of a
gripping arm 144 which is pivotable around a first axis 146 and
movable along a second axis 148.
[0008] In the magazines known from the prior art, the filling or
transportation from the refill position to the removal position
occurs as a result of the force of gravity. In such drop chutes and
throughput magazines, considerable noise is produced during the
process of falling. There is also a risk of the pipes being
positioned at an angle during the drop, causing them to twist and
get stuck. Lastly, the order of the drilling rods to be used can
only be controlled unsatisfactorily since the order of use for the
drilling rods located in a chute depends on the order of filling
these drilling rods.
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0009] By taking the prior art into consideration, the present
invention's object is to provide a drilling tool magazine and a
horizontal boring machine comprising such a drilling tool magazine
in which automatic and reliable handling and access to any of the
drilling rods to be handled is ensured.
[0010] In accordance with the invention, this object is
advantageously solved by a drilling tool magazine described in
claim 1. Advantageous extensions of the drilling tool magazine
according to the invention are described in the dependent claims.
The invention also provides a horizontal boring machine combined
with a drilling tool magazine defined in claim 1 and the dependent
claims.
[0011] The invention is based on the idea of providing a magazine
in which the tools or workpieces to be handled are forcibly guided
a slight distance apart.
[0012] In this way, the drilling tool magazine, comprises in
accordance with the invention, a plurality of tool bays so as to
receive tools. A tool bay is the space needed for handling a tool
or workpiece to be stored in a magazine in the total extension of
its longitudinal direction. The longitudinal extension of the tool
bays therefore corresponds to the longitudinal extension of the
tools to be received, each tool bay receiving one tool
respectively. In accordance with the invention, adjacent tool bays
are spaced apart by movable drive catches. The distance produced
between the drive catches essentially corresponds to the transverse
extension of the tools. The spacing creates discrete tool bays
which due to the movability of the drive catches can be controlled
in such a way as to enable the drilling rods to be successively
removed from the magazine and any of the articles stored in the
magazine to be systematically accessed. It is also possible for the
receiving and refill position of the drilling rods to be identical
so that in accordance with the invention a drilling machine's
set-up time and the space needed by the drilling tool magazine are
decreased. It is likewise possible to apply any control criteria as
regards the order of the drilling rods to be used, e.g. first
in/first out. Accordingly, different drilling rods can be
systematically used such as to ensure even wear of the drilling
rods. The forcible guidance in discrete tool bays also stops
individual drilling rods from getting stuck and jamming the
magazine. The generation of noise to be deplored in the prior art
is also advantageously eliminated. At the same time, a compact
design for the drilling tool magazine and a high packing density
for the drilling tools within the magazine are ensured by spacing
individual drilling rods only a slight distance apart.
[0013] According to an extension of the drilling tool magazine
according to the invention, this magazine is designed as a chain
magazine having at least one chain revolving around a magazine
axis. In this way, the packing density and hence the capacity of
the magazine can be adapted according to requirements as a result
of a flexible sectional guidance of the at least one revolving
chain.
[0014] According to an extension of the invention, the drive
catches are detachably coupled to the at least one chain. This
consequently makes it possible to adapt the flexibility of the
inventive drilling tool magazine even more effectively to different
tool diameters. The receiving space of the discrete tool bays can
be varied by uncoupling the drive catches from the at least one
chain and by subsequently recoupling the drive catches at another
site.
[0015] To increase further the tool packing density in the drilling
tool magazine according to the invention, an extension of the
invention provides that the at least one chain revolves in a
meandering shape around a plurality of magazine axes.
[0016] According to a further embodiment of the invention, the
space needed within the drilling tool magazine according to the
invention and required when feeding the tools received inside the
drilling tool magazine to a downstream drilling mount is reduced in
that the longitudinal extension of the tool bays is parallel to the
at least one magazine axis.
[0017] To increase further the reliability of tool transportation
within the drilling tool magazine according to the invention and to
ensure optimum stability while simultaneously keeping a simple
drive, the chain magazine comprises, in accordance with an
extension of the invention, two revolving chains, each of which is
disposed next to an end region of the longitudinally extended tool
bays. The chains are preferably arranged at the front end directly
next to the tool bays.
[0018] To be able to remove the tools from the drilling tool
magazine and supply them to it, the drilling tool magazine
comprises, in accordance with the invention, at least one removal
site. This removal site is designed in such a way as to allow
removal of the tools from any tool bay at an angle, preferably at a
right angle, to the longitudinal extension of this work bay. In
consequence, a connecting direction of the tools with the
downstream tool holder of a drilling machine is obtained which
keeps the connecting time as low as possible since this design
makes the distance to be covered small.
[0019] To ensure that the tools are rapidly removed from, or
rapidly filled into, the drilling tool magazine, the removal
position is formed, according to the invention, by a slot-like
aperture, the dimensions of which essentially correspond to those
of the tool bays. At the same time, the design as a slot-like
aperture prevents the entry of foreign bodies, which is also
enhanced by a preferred configuration of the aperture on the lower
side of the drilling tool magazine.
[0020] To take the tools out of or to refill them into the drilling
tool magazine, the invention also provides that the drilling tool
magazine further comprises at least one feeding means for inserting
the tools into, and removing them out of, the tool bays.
[0021] Each feeding means is advantageously supported in a
revolving manner around a rotary axis, the rotary axis being
disposed parallel to the longitudinal extension of the tool bays.
The rotating or pivoting movement in conjunction with the
arrangement of the rotary axis makes it possible to quickly cover
the advantageously short distance due to low moving masses, whereby
the strength of the feeding means is high.
[0022] The seizure of the tools in the drilling tool magazine
according to the invention is formed, in accordance with an
extension of the invention, by a receiving member so as to receive
the tools in a form-locked manner.
[0023] To allow the feeding means to provide a stable hold for the
tools, there are two feeding means, each of which is disposed in an
end region of the longitudinally extended tool bays.
[0024] According to an extension, at least one gripping device is
also provided according to the invention for the removal of the
tools out of, and their insertion into, the at least one feeding
means. This extension makes it possible for the drilling tool
magazine to be connected to optimum effect to the downstream
drilling machine in the conveyance direction of the tools.
[0025] These gripping devices are advantageously supported in a
revolving manner around a pivoting axis, this pivoting axis being
disposed parallel to the longitudinal extension of the tool bays.
The direction of conveyance of the tools to be handled corresponds
in this way in the case of the gripping devices to the conveyance
direction when directly removing the tools from, or inserting them
into, the drilling tool magazine. A change in the type of movement
is advantageously avoided and the time interval from removing a
tool out of the drilling tool magazine to feeding this tool to the
drilling machine is kept to a minimum. According to a preferred
extension, the pivoting axis is formed by a shaft or axis common to
all gripping devices.
[0026] To ensure that the reliability of this operation is as high
as possible, the present invention is advantageously extended such
that each gripping device comprises a gripping member with which
the tools can be seized in a form-locked and/or force-locked
manner. The invention provides that the tools are seized only in a
form-locked manner, only in a force-locked manner or in a combined
form-locked/force-locked manner.
[0027] The accuracy of delivery at the interface between feeding
means and gripping device is increased according to the invention
in that the number of gripping devices corresponds to the number of
feeding means. The gripping devices are ideally located close to
the feeding means.
[0028] To achieve a symmetrical structure of the drilling tool
magazine according to the invention, which further increases the
accuracy of delivery, an extension of the invention provides two
gripping devices, one each in an end region of the longitudinally
extended tool bays.
[0029] To facilitate the operation of the drilling tool magazine
according to the invention, particularly during the process of
removing the drilling rods, the at least one chain is driven. The
drive advantageously comprises a motor in combination with a
switching free-wheel and a slip hub, whereby these components act
upon the at least one chain. Yet it is also possible to use a
hydraulic, pneumatic or electric motor optionally in conjunction
with gears.
[0030] The drive catches are used to guide the tools within the
drilling tool magazine according to the invention in the direction
of tool conveyance through the magazine. On those planes parallel
to the conveyance direction, the conveyance path of the tools
inside the drilling tool magazine is limited by guide walls. This
embodiment of the invention ensures reliable guidance while
maintaining a simple structure and hence keeping production costs
low.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0031] To explain the invention further and understand it better,
an exemplary embodiment will now be described and discussed in more
detail with reference to the attached drawings.
[0032] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a horizontal boring
machine with a schematically depicted drilling tool magazine
according to the invention;
[0033] FIG. 2 shows a front view of a drilling tool magazine
according to the invention, with a feeding means and a gripping
device also being depicted in the figure;
[0034] FIG. 3 shows a side view corresponding to FIG. 2; FIG. 4
shows the structure of an exemplary embodiment of the drilling tool
magazine as a chain magazine comprising drive catches, with a
drilling rod also being schematically depicted in the figure;
[0035] FIG. 5 shows details of the drilling tool magazine in a
schematic sectional view;
[0036] FIG. 6 shows details of the magazine drive in a side
view;
[0037] FIG. 7 shows a front view corresponding to FIG. 6;
[0038] FIG. 8 shows the removal site of the drilling tool magazine,
with a feeding means also being schematically depicted in the
figure;
[0039] FIGS. 9, 10 and 11 show a removal operation of a drilling
rod by the feeding means in the operating sequence;
[0040] FIG. 12 shows a gripping device used in the drilling tool
magazine according to the invention; and
[0041] FIG. 13 shows a device known from the prior art.
DESCRIPTION OF AN EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENT
[0042] FIG. 1 shows a typical application of a drilling tool
magazine 10 of the present invention in combination with a
horizontal boring machine 5. The drilling tool magazine 10 is
secured to a drilling mount 7 such that when looking in the
longitudinal direction of the drilling mount, the magazine is
disposed at the side of the mount and when looking in the
transverse direction of the mount, the magazine is disposed above
same. As depicted in FIG. 1, the removal of the individual drilling
rods 8 takes place at that side of the drilling tool magazine 10
which is directly adjacent to the drilling mount 7.
[0043] The drilling tool magazine 10 is provided with a feeding
means 50 and a gripping device 60 (see FIG. 2). The feeding means
50 is used to remove the drilling rods from the drilling tool
magazine 10 at the removal site 30, and to re-insert the drilling
rods into the drilling tool magazine 10 at this removal site 30.
The gripping device 60 is disposed at the same side of the drilling
tool magazine 10 as the feeding means 50. The drilling tool
magazine 10 itself is designed as a chain magazine in the exemplary
embodiment described and illustrated. The chain guide or chain
drive is disposed in a housing 28 and comprises four fixed magazine
axes 18 and a movable magazine axis 20 in the exemplary embodiment.
Chain wheels (not shown in FIG. 2) are arranged around the various
magazine axes 18, 20. In the depicted embodiment, the movable
magazine axis 20 simultaneously serves as a drive shaft for the
drilling tool magazine. The movability of the drive shaft in the
exemplary embodiment depicted and described ensures that the chains
16 (see also FIG. 3) of the chain drive can be tensioned.
[0044] FIG. 3 is a side view corresponding to FIG. 2, although FIG.
3 depicts the gripping devices 60 in a different position from that
in FIG. 2. The arrangement of the various components of the chain
magazine relative to the feeding means 50 and gripping devices 60
is particularly apparent from FIG. 3. The feeding means 50 are
disposed at the lower side of the drilling tool magazine 10 in the
end regions thereof. The distance between the two depicted feeding
means 50 approximately corresponds to the length of the drilling
rods 8. Two gripping devices 60 are also located in the end
regions. The two gripping devices 60 are slightly inwardly offset
in relation to the feeding means 50, thus avoiding a collision of
the gripping devices 60 with the respectively adjacent feeding
means 50. The drive of the gripping devices 60 and the feeding
means 50 is uncoupled, whereby the drive of the feeding means 50 is
effected via hydraulic rams 36 that can be more effectively deduced
from FIGS. 9 to 11, and the drive of the gripping devices 60 is
effected via a common pivoting axis 62 which is designed here as a
driven shaft.
[0045] The two chains 16 of the drilling tool magazine 10 extend on
vertical planes directly adjacent to the end faces of the drilling
rods 8 to be stored in the magazine. The chains 16 run over fixed
magazine axes 18 and a movable magazine axis 20, in this instance
the drive shaft. Chain wheels are supported on the axes 18, 20.
[0046] Sheet-metal guides 24 are also inserted in the end regions
of the drilling tool magazine 10 and inwardly spaced from the
chains 16. These sheet-metal guides 24 are securely connected to
the housing 28 of the drilling tool magazine 10 and extend parallel
to the plane of the chains 16. The housing 28 can be designed as an
open frame structure or as an enclosed version.
[0047] FIG. 4 shows details of how the drilling rods 8 are received
in the chain magazine. Two chains 16 are represented on the outside
of a schematically depicted drilling rod 8. A plurality of drive
catches 14 are secured at even intervals to the chains 16 via
fastening pins 17. The inside width between adjacent drive catches
14 corresponds to the outer diameter of the maximum-diameter
drilling rod 8 to be received plus a clearance for easier
removal/reinsertion of the drilling rods 8 from/into the drive
catches 14. In relation to the drilling rods 8, the drive catches
14 form pocket-shaped carriers in which the drilling rods 8
securely rest largely regardless of their diameter.
[0048] Although it is not absolutely necessary in the preferred
embodiment of the invention, it can be ensured by fastening the
drive catches 14 to the chains 16 via pins 17 that the drilling
tool magazine can optionally be reset to receive drilling rods 8 of
a different diameter. For this purpose, only the pins 17 would be
taken out of the chains, and the drive catches 14 would be
correspondingly offset.
[0049] The chain links are designed to be hollow in the articulated
regions so as to receive the pins 17. The spacing of the chains 16
relative to one another essentially corresponds to the length of
the drilling rods 8 to be received plus a clearance for easier
removal of the drilling rods 8 from the drive catches 14 or for
their easier reinsertion into same.
[0050] The front view of FIG. 5 gives an impression of the
conveyance path of the drilling rods 8 within the drilling tool
magazine 10. The drilling rods 8 are supported on the drive catches
14 which are in turn coupled to the chains 16 in the manner
described above, though just one of these chains is shown in FIG.
5. The chain 16 runs over chain wheels 22 around the magazine axes
18, 20. During conveyance along the conveyance path, the drilling
rods 8 are guided by lateral guides 24, 26, whereby a forcible
guidance of the drilling rods is ensured at the sides by the outer
guide wall 24 and the inner guide wall 26 and is ensured in or
against the direction of conveyance by the drive catches 14 on the
one side or other of a drilling rod 8. On their conveyance path,
the drilling rods 8 pass a removal site 30 which, as already
mentioned, is preferably disposed on a lower side of the drilling
tool magazine 10, thus preventing objects from undesirably falling
into the chain drive of the drilling tool magazine 10. It is also
beneficial, as can be gathered from FIG. 5, for the removal
aperture 30 to be located in the region of a chain wheel 22. This
arrangement in the region of the change of movement of the chain 16
ensures that the drive catches 14, via their tilting movement, make
it possible for the drilling rods 8 to be accessed more easily (see
also FIG. 8).
[0051] In the exemplary embodiment depicted, the chain 16 extends
in a meandering shape from a fixed magazine axis around the movable
magazine axis 20 and back again to a fixed magazine axis 18. This
sectional guidance of the chain 16 enables a high packing density
of the drilling rods 8 in the drilling tool magazine 10, thus
utilizing the space of the drilling tool magazine to good
effect.
[0052] FIGS. 6 and 7 represent the structural-design solution for
the gradual and optional actuation of the chain-magazine drive. The
manner in which the drive shaft 20 is guided through the housing 28
of the drilling tool magazine 10 can be gathered from the side view
of FIG. 6. At the outside of the drilling tool magazine 10, a
switching free-wheel 34 engages with the drive shaft 20. The shaft
20 is driven by actuating the switching free-wheel via the depicted
hydraulic ram 36 as a result of pivoting the switching free-wheel
34, or the shaft is fixed in its neutral position by means of the
slip hub 38. The drive of the shaft 20 causes the drilling rods 8
to be conveyed further in the drilling tool magazine 10, the
fixation of the shaft 20 by the slip hub 38--as a result of the
form-locked connection via the chain wheels 22 and the chain
16--causes the drive catches 14 and hence the drilling rods 8 to be
immovable relative to the removal aperture 30. The removal and
reinsertion operations can be reliably performed in this way. The
hydraulic ram 36 rests on a base 40 which is flange-mounted to the
housing 28.
[0053] The removal and reinsertion operations of the drilling rods
8 from and into the drilling tool magazine 10 is evident to best
effect from FIGS. 8 to 11, which will be referred to below. FIG. 8
shows the arrangement of the feeding means 50 relative to the
removal aperture 30 of the drilling tool magazine 10 in the locked
state. The feeding means 50 comprises a bearing bracket 51 and a
rocker arm 52. The rocker arm 52 is supported in the bearing
bracket 51 via a pivoting axis 53.
[0054] These and other pivoting axes of the invention can also be
formed as rotary axes without departing from the scope of the
invention.
[0055] The rocker arm 52 has an insertion edge 55 at its end facing
the removal aperture 30. This insertion edge 55 is shaped such as
to continue the guidance by the outer guide wall 24 essentially
without gaps when the feeding means 50 is in its locked state. If
the chain 16 with the drive catches 14 that are fastened to same
via the pins 17 and with the drilling rods 8 received between the
drive catches moves downwards to the right in FIG. 8, the drilling
rod 8 is guided laterally by the outer guide wall 24 in the
vertical part of the conveyance path. When the chain 16 is
deflected around the chain wheel 22, the drive catches 14 tilt
relative to the surroundings. The force of gravity would cause the
drilling rods 8 to fall out of the tool bays from a certain angle
of inclination of the base of the drive catches 14. When the
feeding means 50 are in the locked state, the insertion edge 55
nevertheless continues the guidance of the outer guide wall 24,
with the result that the drilling rods 8 would only fall out of the
tool bays if the insertion edge 55 released the removal site
30.
[0056] The removal process is most easily evident from FIGS. 9, 10
and 11 as follows. As soon as the drilling rods 8 pass the removal
site 30, they make contact with the insertion edge 55 of the rocker
arm 52. A hook 56 is supported in a rotating manner around a
pivoting axis 57 in the region of the insertion edge 55. The hook
56 is also guided with a pin in a sliding guide 58 of the rocker
arm 52. A hydraulic ram disposed between the pin and the bearing
bracket 51 simultaneously engages with the pin. The hydraulic ram
is schematically depicted in the figures by a dot-dashed line. The
rocker arm 52 is connected to the bearing bracket 51 via a spring
54 at that side opposite the hydraulic ram relative to the pivoting
axis 53 (FIG. 9). An initial actuation of the hydraulic ram (FIG.
10) first causes the hook 56 to rotate around its axis 57 and
causes the pin of the hook 56 to move in the sliding guide 58 of
the rocker arm from the one to the other end. The hook-shaped
receiving member appears and encompasses in a form-locked manner
the drilling rod 8 resting on the insertion edge 55 of the rocker
arm. The rocker arm 52 is held in position by the spring 54. If the
hydraulic ram is actuated further (FIG. 11), the pin that strikes
in the sliding guide 58 at the lower end acts upon the rocker arm
52 and causes it to tilt around its pivoting or rotary axis,
drawing the drilling rod 8 out of the magazine 10. In the rocker
arm's pivoted position, the drilling rod 8 is held between the
hook-shaped receiving member of the hook 56 and another edge. The
drilling rod can be seized in this position and removed from the
feeding means 50. In the pivoted position of the feeding means 50,
the chain drive is locked so that no more drilling rods 8 can fall
out via the removal aperture 30.
[0057] FIG. 12 represents the seizure of the drilling rods by the
gripping devices 60. The rotational movability of the gripping
device 60 can be deduced from the figure. In this particular case,
the gripping device 60 is coupled to the pivoting axis 62 such that
the gripping device 60 is also moved upon rotary actuation of the
pivoting axis 62. The gripping device 60 is fitted with gripping
members 64 at its end remote from the pivoting axis 62. The
gripping members are in turn pivotably supported in the end region
of the gripping device 60 and are coupled to an actuating slide 66.
Shifting the actuating slide 66 along the gripping device 60 causes
the gripping members 64 to open and close. The actuating slide 66
can be advantageously operated hydraulically or pneumatically. The
gripping members 64 are designed such as to be able to receive the
drilling rods 8 in a form-locked and force-locked manner. Form
locking is accomplished by a recess-like formation on the inside of
the gripping members 64, force locking is obtained by the
continuous actuation of the actuating slides 66 in the direction of
closure while the drilling rod 8 is being held.
[0058] The actuation of the drilling tool magazine 10 will now be
explained.
[0059] Based on the position shown in FIG. 5, the switching
free-wheel 34 (FIG. 6) and the slip hub 38 are actuated via the
hydraulic ram 36 in order to remove the very bottom drilling rod 8.
Actuation causes the drive shaft 20 in FIG. 5 to rotate
anticlockwise and causes the very bottom drilling rod 8 which is to
be removed to move downwards toward the removal site 30. At this
point in time, the removal site 30 is closed by the insertion edge
55 of the feeding means 50 (see FIG. 8). As soon as the drilling
rod 8 to be removed has reached the removal site--see FIG. 8--the
hydraulic ram of the feeding means 50 is actuated so that first the
hook 56 emerges from the insertion edge 55 of the rocker arm (see
FIG. 10), whereupon the rocker arm 52 pivots around its pivoting
axis 53 into the position shown in FIG. 11. At this point in time,
the gripping device 60 (see FIG. 12) is not in the position that
points vertically downwards, with the result that no collision with
the movement of the feeding means 50 arises. As soon as the feeding
means 50 have reached the position shown in FIG. 11, the gripping
device 60 pivots around the pivoting axis 62 into the position that
faces vertically downwards, with the gripping members 64 being
pivoted upwards. The actuating slides 66 (FIG. 12) are then
actuated and the gripping members 64 closed around the drilling rod
8 to be removed. The gripping device 60 is then pivoted around the
pivoting axis 62 and moved to the desired position in which the
drilling rod 8 can be screwed with the drilling tool on the
drilling mount 7 (not shown). The reinsertion of the drilling rods
8 into the magazine 10 correspondingly occurs in reverse order.
[0060] These and other actuation steps are advantageously
controlled by a control device not shown here.
* * * * *