U.S. patent application number 12/734618 was filed with the patent office on 2010-10-28 for heading machine.
This patent application is currently assigned to Sandvik Mining and Construction G.m.b.H.. Invention is credited to Bernhard Ebner, Peter Kogler.
Application Number | 20100270849 12/734618 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 40386066 |
Filed Date | 2010-10-28 |
United States Patent
Application |
20100270849 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Ebner; Bernhard ; et
al. |
October 28, 2010 |
HEADING MACHINE
Abstract
In a heading machine (1) including a travelling mechanism (2)
and a cutting boom (3) or frame, the cutting boom (3) or frame
carries at least two rotating cutting heads (5) whose axes of
rotation (6) extend in the heading direction or enclose acute
angles with the heading direction and which, together, define a
cutting profile having a profile width (a), as well as two cutting
rollers (8,10) arranged substantially parallel and behind the
cutting heads (5) and capable of being positioned on the floor (9)
and on the roof (7), respectively. Both cutting rollers (8,10)
comprise end portions (25) which are extendible to the width (a) of
the profile for the formation of a substantially rectangular
cutting profile.
Inventors: |
Ebner; Bernhard;
(Knittelfeld, AT) ; Kogler; Peter; (Knittelfeld,
AT) |
Correspondence
Address: |
CHAPMAN AND CUTLER
111 WEST MONROE STREET
CHICAGO
IL
60603
US
|
Assignee: |
Sandvik Mining and Construction
G.m.b.H.
Zeltweg
AT
|
Family ID: |
40386066 |
Appl. No.: |
12/734618 |
Filed: |
November 5, 2008 |
PCT Filed: |
November 5, 2008 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/AT2008/000400 |
371 Date: |
May 12, 2010 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
299/58 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E21C 27/22 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
299/58 |
International
Class: |
E21C 27/24 20060101
E21C027/24 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Nov 15, 2007 |
AT |
A 1861/2007 |
Claims
1. A heading machine comprising a travelling mechanism and a
cutting boom or frame, wherein the cutting boom or frame carries at
least two rotating cutting heads having axes of rotation extending
in a heading direction or which enclose acute angles with the
heading direction and which, together, define a cutting profile
having a profile width, as well as two cutting rollers arranged
substantially parallel and behind the cutting heads and adapted to
being positioned on a floor and on a roof, respectively, each of
the cutting rollers (8, 10) comprise end portions (25) which are
extendible to a width (a) of the cutting profile for formation of a
substantially rectangular cutting profile, each of the cutting
rollers. (8, 10) is separately hinged to the cutting boom (3) or
frame in a height-adjustable manner, and each of the cutting
rollers (8, 10) has a diameter corresponding to at least one fifth
of the cutting diameter of the cutting heads (5).
2. A heading machine according to claim 1, wherein each of the
cutting rollers (8, 10) has a diameter corresponding to at least
one fourth of the cutting diameter of the cutting heads (5).
3. A heading machine according to claim 1, wherein the cutting
heads (5) are provided with cutting tools (28) which are adjustable
or extendible in the radial direction.
4. A heading machine according to claim 1, wherein the cutting
tools (28) are arranged on the cutting heads (5) in a manner that
cutting tools (28) of a first one of the cutting heads (28) engage
between cutting tools (28) of a second one of the cutting heads
during rotation such that circular areas of respective cutting
profiles (33) overlap one another.
5. A heading machine according to claim 1, wherein the cutting
rolls (8, 10) each comprise an individual drive (17, 18).
6. A heading machine according to claim 1, wherein the cutting boom
(3) or frame is arranged to be adjustable relative to the
travelling mechanism (2) in a vertical direction.
7. A heading machine according to claim 2, wherein the cutting
heads (5) are provided with cutting tools (28) which are adjustable
or extendible in the radial direction.
8. A heading machine according to claim 2, wherein the cutting
tools (28) are arranged on the cutting heads (5) in a manner that
cutting tools (28) of a first one of the cutting heads (28) engage
between cutting tools (28) of a second one of the cutting heads
during rotation such that circular areas of respective cutting
profiles (33) overlap one another.
9. A heading machine according to claim 3, wherein the cutting
tools (28) are arranged on the cutting heads (5) in a manner that
cutting tools (28) of a first one of the cutting heads (28) engage
between cutting tools (28) of a second one of the cutting heads
during rotation such that circular areas of respective cutting
profiles (33) overlap one another.
10. A heading machine according to claim 2, wherein the cutting
rolls (8, 10) each comprise an individual drive (17, 18).
11. A heading machine according to claim 3, wherein the cutting
rolls (8, 10) each comprise an individual drive (17, 18).
12. A heading machine according to claim 4, wherein the cutting
rolls (8, 10) each comprise an individual drive (17, 18).
13. A heading machine according to claim 2, wherein the cutting
boom (3) or frame is arranged to be adjustable relative to the
travelling mechanism (2) in a vertical direction.
14. A heading machine according to claim 3, wherein the cutting
boom (3) or frame is arranged to be adjustable relative to the
travelling mechanism (2) in a vertical direction.
15. A heading machine according to claim 4, wherein the cutting
boom (3) or frame is arranged to be adjustable relative to the
travelling mechanism (2) in a vertical direction.
16. A heading machine according to claim 5, wherein the cutting
boom (3) or frame is arranged to be adjustable relative to the
travelling mechanism (2) in a vertical direction.
Description
[0001] The present invention relates to a heading machine including
a travelling mechanism and a cutting boom or frame, wherein the
cutting boom or frame carries at least two rotating cutting heads
whose axes of rotation extend in the heading direction or enclose
acute angles with the heading direction and which, together, define
a cutting profile having a profile width, as well as two cutting
rollers arranged substantially parallel and behind the cutting
heads and capable of being positioned on the floor and on the roof,
respectively.
[0002] Heading machines with cutting rotors whose axes of rotation
extend in the heading direction or enclose acute angles with the
heading direction are usually denoted as "Marietta drills", wherein
the cutting unit comprises two or several rotating cutting heads.
The two cutting heads define a cutting profile with a maximum
profile width, wherein the cutting tools are usually arranged on
the cutting heads in a manner that cutting tools of one of the
cutting heads engage between cutting tools of the other one of the
cutting heads during rotation such that the circular areas of the
respective cutting profiles will overlap one another. The common
cutting profile of the two or more cutting heads arranged
adjacently and, preferably, on the same level will, therefore, as a
rule, correspond to the respective number of partially overlapping
circular areas, with so-called profile gussets remaining between
the individual circular areas in the region of the floor and the
roof. The edge of the profile is limited by two half-circles.
[0003] In order to straighten the profile corners left by the
rotating cutting bodies, a trim chain is known from U.S. Pat. No.
3,343,882, by which the floor profile and the roof profile can be
partially straightened.
[0004] An alternative embodiment of a trimming device is known from
U.S. Pat. No. 3,407,006, in which vertically readjustable cutting
rollers are provided, which are fixed to the frame of the cutting
device in order to obtain straightened floor and roof profiles.
[0005] From U.S. Pat. No. 5,921,632, a trimming device for a
Marietta drill has become known, in which a telescopable cutting
roller is arranged on the cutting frame of the heading machine in a
vertically adjustable manner for trimming the floor. On the roof,
the cut gusset is trimmed by a cutting roller immovably fixed to
the cutting frame. The trimming device known from U.S. Pat. No.
5,921,632 is connected with a central drive via gear shafts.
[0006] It is true that the use of heading machines known from the
prior art enables the cutting-away of the cutting profile gussets
between the circular segments on the roof and the floor by the aid
of trimming devices. Yet, the tunnel profile will keep its round
shape in the roof corners. This is, in particular, highly
disadvantageous in potassium mining, where an enlarged tunnel
profile is achieved in that several parallelly extending profiles
immediately adjoining each other laterally are driven one after the
other to jointly produce the desired, enlarged tunnel profile. With
such a mode of procedure, the cut gussets remaining when using
heading machines known from the prior art, as well as the profile
curves on the edges of the profile, are particularly annoying,
since they will either have to be removed by separate devices or
constitute a considerable risk, since the rock can easily break
away from such remaining profile regions.
[0007] The present invention, therefore, aims to provide a heading
machine which enables the driving or forming of a substantially
rectangular tunnel profile, while avoiding the above-described
drawbacks.
[0008] To solve this object, the heading machine according to the
invention of the initially defined kind is essentially
characterized in that both cutting rollers comprise end portions
which are extendible to the width of the profile for the formation
of a substantially rectangular cutting profile. Due to the fact
that both the upper cutting roll, i.e. the one to be positioned on
the roof, and the lower cutting roll, i.e. the one to be positioned
on the floor, comprise extendible end portions, it has become
feasible to enlarge the effective cutting width of the cutting
rollers to the profile width defined by the other cutting tools,
namely the rotating cutting heads. This enables the cut gussets
remaining between the individual circular areas of the cutting
heads to be substantially completely cut away such that a
substantially rectangular cutting profile will be obtained. It is,
furthermore, feasible to cut away the quarter-circularly-shaped,
round profile corners by the aid of the cutting rollers extended to
the full profile width, so that a rectangular overall profile will
indeed be achieved.
[0009] At the same time, the provision of extendible end portions
of the cutting rollers enables the end portions to be retracted
again so as to reduce the width of the cutting rollers and
facilitate the maneuvering of the heading machine when moving in
the road.
[0010] In order to cut away the round profile corners as completely
as possible and safely seize all of the cutting profile gussets, it
is provided according to a preferred further development that the
cutting rollers each have a diameter corresponding to at least one
fifth, preferably at least one fourth, of the cutting diameter of
the cutting heads. Accordingly large diameters of the cutting
rollers will enable an especially good approximation to the
intended rectangular profile shape.
[0011] In order to enable an adaptation of the size of the cutting
profile to the respective requirement, it is provided according to
a preferred further development that the cutting heads are provided
with cutting tools which are adjustable or extendible in the radial
direction. This will enable the adjustment of the size of the
circular profile driven by the individual, rotating cutting heads.
Another advantage of this configuration resides in that the cutting
tools, for instance, for an enhanced maneuverability of the heading
machine, can be displaced radially inwards during the back-travel
from the driven tunnel in order to thereby reduce the required
space and, hence, the risk of collisions with the tunnel walls or
the like.
[0012] In order to adapt also the cutting rollers provided
according to the invention to the respective profile dimensions
and, in particular, profile height, the configuration is
advantageously devised such that each cutting roller is separately
hinged to the cutting boom or frame in a height-adjustable
manner.
[0013] Further adaptability will result from a preferred further
development in which the cutting boom or frame is arranged to be
adjustable relative to the travelling mechanism in the vertical
direction. Such a configuration will enable the simultaneous
adjustment of all the cutting means fixed or hinged to the cutting
boom or frame, so that both the rotating cutting heads and the two
cutting rollers will accordingly be jointly adjustable in terms of
height. In this manner, an improved profile adaptation will be
enabled, with a number of options for adapting the overall profile
to the respective requirements and conditions resulting, in
particular, in combination with the two laterally extendible
cutting rollers.
[0014] The actuation of the individual cutting units usually is
effected via a central drive and appropriate gears. Such a central
drive, in the heading machine according to the invention, can, for
instance, be used to drive the at least two rotating cutting heads.
However, according to a preferred further development, the two
cutting rollers are each driven separately, the cutting rollers
each comprising an individual drive. This enables a better mutual
tuning of the energy expenditure for the individual cutting tools
than would be the case with a central drive including driving
shafts. Central drives, in particular, involve the problem that, if
one of the cutting units driven by the central drive spins because
of a defect or other unforeseeable circumstances, the driving force
will automatically be distributed to the remaining drive units,
which are frequently not dimensioned for such elevated driving
forces and, thus, may become damaged. In the event of individual
drives for the cutting units and, in particular, for the two
cutting rollers, such problems will not occur, since the drive can
each be separately controlled.
[0015] As already mentioned in the beginning, a configuration is,
more-over, preferred, in which the cutting tools are arranged on
the cutting heads in a manner that cutting tools of one of the
cutting heads engage between cutting tools of the other one of the
cutting heads during rotation such that the circular areas of the
respective cutting profiles overlap one another. With such a
configuration, the cut gussets remaining between the mutually
overlapping circular-area-profiles will be accordingly smaller so
as to facilitate the trimming procedure.
[0016] In the following, the invention will be explained in more
detail by way of an exemplary embodiment schematically illustrated
in the drawing. Therein,
[0017] FIG. 1 is a side view of the heading machine according to
the invention;
[0018] FIG. 2 is a top view on the heading machine according to the
invention;
[0019] FIG. 3 is a front view of the heading machine;
[0020] FIG. 4 depicts a cutting profile as is obtainable by a
heading machine known from the prior art, including a trimming
chain; and
[0021] FIG. 5 depicts a cutting profile to be achieved by the
heading machine according to the invention.
[0022] In FIG. 1, a heading machine is denoted by 1 and comprises a
travelling mechanism 2. The travelling mechanism in this case is
configured as a crawler mechanism. On the cutting boom 3, which can
be adjusted in the vertical direction in the sense of double arrow
4 by an appropriate adjusting apparatus, cutting bodies 5 are
mounted, which are rotationally driven about an axis of rotation
6.
[0023] Behind the cutting body 5 are arranged a cutting roll 8 to
be positioned on the roof 7, and a cutting roll 10 to be positioned
on the floor 9. The cutting rolls 8 and 10 are fixed to a pivot arm
11 or 12, respectively, which is pivotable relative to the cutting
boom 3 about an axis 13 or 14, respectively. Hydraulic cylinders 15
and 16, respectively, serve as pivot drives. Each of the two
cutting rolls 8 and 10 is associated with an individual drive 17 or
18, respectively.
[0024] FIG. 1 further depicts a hauling means 19, which extends in
the longitudinal direction of the machine as far as to beyond the
end of the heading machine 1 and comprises a pivotable delivery
portion. Also illustrated is a support frame 22 which is coupled to
the machine frame by the aid of a hydraulic cylinder 21 and capable
of being trailed, and which carries anchor boring and setting
devices 23 as well as respective supporting devices 24.
[0025] From the illustration according to FIG. 2, it is apparent
that a total of two rotating cutting heads 5 are adjacently
arranged on the front end of the machine. The cutting roller 8
comprises a central roller portion 27 as well as two extendible end
portions 25. The end portions 25 are extendible in the sense of
double arrows 26 for the adjustment of the cutting width of the
cutting roller 8. The rotational drive for the cutting roller 8 is
again denoted by 17, wherein the central portion 27 of the cutting
roller 8 is driven by a gear not illustrated in detail, and the
extendible end portions 25 are connected with the central portion
27 by the aid of a positive connection in a manner secured against
rotation, yet displaceable in the direction of the axis of rotation
of the cutting roller 8. The adjustment device for the vertical
readjustment of the cutting boom 3 is denoted by 38.
[0026] In the front view according to FIG. 3, the individual
cutting units are more clearly visible. The two cutting heads 5
each comprise a plurality of cutting tools and, in particular,
cutting knives 28, which are adjustable in the radial direction in
the sense of double arrows 29 in order to change the size of the
respective circular profile to be achieved. The two cutting heads 5
are preferably driven in mutually opposite directions, with the
individual cutting tools 29 accordingly engaging in each other
during rotation so as to produce the overlaps of the individual
circular profiles illustrated in FIG. 5. From FIG. 3, it is further
apparent that the two cutting rollers 8 and 10 each carry a
plurality of cutting tools such as, for instance, cutter bits 30,
both on the central roller portion 27 and on the extendible end
portions 25. As is clearly apparent from FIG. 3, the end portions
25 are extendible in the sense of double arrows 26 in a manner that
a substantially rectangular profile will be driven.
[0027] FIGS. 4 and 5 depict cutting profiles to be obtained
according to the prior art and by the present invention,
respectively. Parallel cuts 31 and 32 are each illustrated, the
heading machine initially making a cut 31 and, subsequently, a cut
32 parallel to the former. In FIG. 4, the two profiles cut by the
rotating cutting heads are denoted by 33, the profile gusset 35
being cut away by a trimming device in the form of a trim chain 34.
Overall, a rectangular cutting profile is, however, not achievable
by a heading machine of this type. This is why a region overlapping
with the cut 31 has to be covered by the subsequent cut 32 so as to
achieve an altogether reduced overall profile width.
[0028] FIG. 5 depicts the overall profile to be achieved by the
heading machine according to the invention. The circular profiles
to be achieved by the two cutting heads 5 are again denoted by 33,
defining a profile width a. The remaining profile gussets 35 as
well as the likewise remaining round corners 36 in this case are
cut away by the aid of the cutting rollers 8 and 10, whose widths
correspond to the profile width a on account of the extended end
portions 25, and whose profiles are denoted by 37. Thus, a
rectangular overall profile is achievable. The subsequent cut 32
can, therefore, immediately follow the first cut 31 so as increase
the extraction efficiency.
* * * * *