U.S. patent application number 14/651060 was filed with the patent office on 2015-10-29 for device for excavating a shaft.
This patent application is currently assigned to HERRENKNECHT AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT. The applicant listed for this patent is HERRENKNECHT AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT. Invention is credited to Werner BURGER.
Application Number | 20150308265 14/651060 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 49378257 |
Filed Date | 2015-10-29 |
United States Patent
Application |
20150308265 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
BURGER; Werner |
October 29, 2015 |
DEVICE FOR EXCAVATING A SHAFT
Abstract
A device for excavating a shaft in which a suction line extends
between a mining tool and a single intermediate storage container.
During the continuous operation of the mining tool, the
intermediate storage chamber can be filled via the suction line to
a predetermined filling level, and when said level is reached, in
the event of a lack of pressure in the suction line, an ejector
door can be opened to fill at least one of the conveyor containers.
Based on the arrangement of the opening area of the suction line in
the immediate vicinity of the mining tool, the degraded material
produced when there is no pressure in the suction line can be
easily evacuated after restarting the suction line.
Inventors: |
BURGER; Werner; (Schwanau,
DE) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
HERRENKNECHT AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT |
Schwanau |
|
DE |
|
|
Assignee: |
HERRENKNECHT
AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
Schwanau
DE
|
Family ID: |
49378257 |
Appl. No.: |
14/651060 |
Filed: |
October 10, 2013 |
PCT Filed: |
October 10, 2013 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/EP2013/071167 |
371 Date: |
June 10, 2015 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
299/64 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E21C 25/68 20130101;
E21C 35/20 20130101; E21F 13/00 20130101; E21C 35/223 20130101;
E21D 1/06 20130101 |
International
Class: |
E21C 25/68 20060101
E21C025/68; E21C 35/20 20060101 E21C035/20; E21C 35/22 20060101
E21C035/22 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Dec 24, 2012 |
DE |
10 2012 025 395.8 |
Claims
1-4. (canceled)
5. A device for excavating a shaft, comprising: a cutting tool for
excavating material at a bottom of the shaft; a conveyor disposed
proximate an operating area of the cutting tool, said conveyor
operable to convey material excavated at the shaft bottom to a
transfer station including an intermediate storage container, said
conveyor including a suction line and an exhaust blower connected
to said suction line, said exhaust blower operable to generate an
air current directed from the shaft bottom into said intermediate
storage container; and a hauling assembly operable to haul
excavated material away from said intermediate storage
container.
6. The device of claim 5, wherein said conveyor further comprises a
dust filter disposed upstream of said exhaust blower in a direction
of flow of the air current.
7. The device of claim 5, wherein said hauling assembly includes a
single hauling container.
8. The device of claim 6, wherein said hauling assembly includes a
single hauling container.
9. The device of claim 5, wherein said hauling assembly includes
two hauling containers and a pivoting chute connected at one end
thereof to said intermediate storage container, said pivoting chute
alternatingly orientable toward each of said hauling
containers.
10. The device of claim 6, wherein said hauling assembly includes
two hauling containers and a pivoting chute connected at one end
thereof to said intermediate storage container, said pivoting chute
alternatingly orientable toward each of said hauling containers.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is a U.S. National Phase Patent Application
based on International Application No. PCT/EP2013/071167 filed Oct.
10, 2013, the disclosure of which is hereby explicitly incorporated
by reference herein.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention relates to a device for excavating a
shaft.
[0004] 2. Description of the Related Art
[0005] One known device is disclosed in GB 2 158 129 A. The prior
device for excavating a shaft comprises a cutting tool for
excavating material at the shaft bottom, as the deepest region of
the shaft, and is equipped with a conveying means disposed in the
operating area of the cutting tool and operative to convey the
material excavated at the shaft bottom to a transfer station
comprising a single intermediate storage container. There is also a
hauling means in the form of a hauling container, by means of which
the excavated material from the intermediate storage container can
be hauled away toward a shaft opening located oppositely from the
shaft bottom. In the prior device, the conveying means is embodied
as a conveyor belt equipped with receiving containers, which is
active while the cutting tool is operating.
[0006] Known from U.S. Pat. No. 3,379,264 is a device for
excavating a shaft that has a cutting tool adapted to excavate
material along a conical surface on both sides of the shaft bottom,
as the deepest region of the shaft. This prior device is also
equipped with a conveying means, which is disposed in the shaft
bottom centrally to the cutting tool and comprises a suction line,
which is connected to an exhaust blower and through which the
excavated material can be transferred to a single intermediate
storage container.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] The present invention provides a device by means of which
continuous excavation operations can be ensured even when excavated
material is being hauled away discontinuously from a single
intermediate storage container.
[0008] By virtue of the fact that in the device according to the
invention, the conveying means comprises a suction line and is
provided with an exhaust blower connected to the suction line and
operative to generate an air current directed from the shaft bottom
into the intermediate storage container, the cutting tool can be
operated continuously even when the conveying means is
intermittently deactivated in order to empty the single
intermediate storage container. After the conveying means is
reactivated, excavated material that has accumulated in the
meantime can simply be conveyed away with newly excavated material
as soon as the conveying means, with the cutting tool, returns to
excavation areas that were being worked while the conveying means
was idle.
[0009] In one form thereof, the present invention provides a device
for excavating a shaft, including a cutting tool for excavating
material at a shaft bottom, including conveying means disposed in
the operating area of the cutting tool and operative to convey
material excavated at the shaft bottom away to a transfer station
including a single intermediate storage container, and including
hauling means for hauling excavated material away from the
intermediate storage container, characterized in that the conveying
means comprise a suction line and are provided with an exhaust
blower that is connected to the suction line and operates to
generate an air current directed from the shaft bottom into the
intermediate storage container.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] The above mentioned and other features and objects of this
invention, and the manner of attaining them, will become more
apparent and the invention itself will be better understood by
reference to the following description of embodiments of the
invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings,
wherein:
[0011] FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of a first exemplary
embodiment of a device according to the invention, comprising a
hauling container that is loaded from a single intermediate storage
container at a filling position;
[0012] FIG. 2 shows the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 1
with the intermediate storage container in a plan view;
[0013] FIG. 3 is a schematic side view of the exemplary embodiment
according to FIG. 1 in the region of the intermediate storage
container and the hauling container during the loading of the
hauling container;
[0014] FIG. 4 is a side view of another exemplary embodiment of a
device according to the invention, comprising two hauling
containers that can be loaded from the single intermediate storage
container at two filling positions;
[0015] FIG. 5 shows the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 4 in
a plan view of the intermediate storage container during the
loading of the one hauling container; and
[0016] FIG. 6 shows the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 4 in
a plan view of the intermediate storage container during the
loading of the second hauling container.
[0017] Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding
parts throughout the several views. Although the exemplifications
set out herein illustrate embodiments of the invention, the
embodiments disclosed below are not intended to be exhaustive or to
be construed as limiting the scope of the invention to the precise
forms disclosed.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0018] FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of a shaft 1 extending in a
vertical direction, showing an exemplary embodiment of a device
according to the invention. The exemplary embodiment according to
FIG. 1 comprises a rotatable and pivotable milling arm 2 of a
cutting tool, which arm is equipped at a free end with a milling
drum 3 of the cutting tool. By means of the milling drum 3,
material can be excavated from a shaft bottom 4, as the deepest
region of the shaft 1. The milling arm 2 also carries a suction
funnel 5 belonging to conveying means and disposed immediately
adjacent the milling drum 3. Connected to the suction funnel 5 is a
suction line 6 of the conveying means, which extends away from the
suction funnel 5 and opens into a suction tank 7, as a first
intermediate storage container of a transfer station.
[0019] It can also be seen from the depiction of FIG. 1 that the
exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIG. 1 comprises an advance
drill 8, which is disposed in the vicinity of the milling arm 2 and
can be used, for example, to drill sounding holes into the shaft
bottom 4. Located in the mounting region of the milling arm 2 and
of the advance drill 8 is an excavation chamber catwalk 9, which is
provided with a dust shield 10 on its side facing away from the
milling arm 2. The dust shield 10 has a number of dust shield
stabilizer plates 11, which bear radially outwardly against a shaft
wall 12 of the shaft 1 and thus delimit an excavation space 13
extending between the shaft bottom 4 and the dust shield 10.
[0020] Disposed on the side of the dust shield 10 facing away from
the milling arm 2 is a supporting column 14 that is part of a
machine frame, and that is accessible from the outside and contains
all the feed and discharge lines for the dust shield 10 and the
excavation space 13, and gives access to the advance drill 8,
together with an anchor drill 15 that can be used to set anchors in
the shaft wall 12.
[0021] Disposed on the side of the control room 14 facing away from
the dust shield 10 is a shaft-bottom-end shaft platform 16, which
is suspended from a number of support cables 17. The support cables
17 extend away from the shaft-bottom-end shaft platform 16, on the
side thereof facing away from the milling arm 2, toward the shaft
opening 18. On its side facing away from the milling arm 2, the
shaft-bottom-end shaft platform 16 supports a number of
intermediate shaft platforms 19 and a shaft-opening-end shaft
platform 20.
[0022] In the region of the shaft-opening-end shaft platform 20,
the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 1 comprises stabilizers
21 that can be pressed against the shaft wall 12 to stabilize the
device according to the invention. In this embodiment, an
intermediate shaft platform 19 carries the suction container 7 and
a dust filter 22 of the conveying means, which filter is connected
via a connecting line 23 to the suction container 7. Also connected
to the dust filter 22 is a connecting line 24 that is connected to
an exhaust blower 25 of the conveying means. Material removed from
the shaft bottom 4 via the suction line 6 while the exhaust blower
25 is operating can thus be conveyed via the suction line 6 into
the suction container 7.
[0023] The suction container 7 has a pivoting discharge flap 26 at
its end facing the milling arm 2. Also present in the region of the
discharge flap 26 is an extendable telescopic chute 27, via which
material that is conveyed into the suction container 7 when the
discharge flap 26 is open can be transferred into a hauling
container 28 of hauling means. Attached to the hauling container 28
is a hauling cable 29 of the hauling means, by means of which the
hauling container 28 can be moved toward the shaft opening 18 and
back to the suction container 7.
[0024] FIG. 2 illustrates the exemplary embodiment according to
FIG. 1 in the region of the suction container 7, looking toward the
shaft bottom 4. FIG. 2 shows particularly clearly how the
telescopic chute 27, in an extended position, reaches from the
suction container 7 to the hauling container 28 so the hauling
container 28 can be filled with the material brought into the
suction container 7 via the suction line 6.
[0025] FIG. 3 is a schematic side view of the exemplary embodiment
according to FIG. 1; in the schematic depiction of FIG. 3, the
discharge flap 26 is shown in the open position and the telescopic
chute 27 in the extended position for filling the hauling container
28 with excavated material.
[0026] The operation of the device according to the invention
proceeds as follows. The milling drum 3 is continuously active,
excavating material at the shaft bottom 4. When the exhaust blower
25 is operating, material excavated by the milling drum 3 is
conveyed via the suction line 6 into the suction container 7, the
discharge flap 26 being closed. When a given fill level is reached
in the suction container 7, the exhaust blower 25 is switched off.
With the suction container 7 under ambient pressure, the discharge
flap 26 is then opened, causing a hauling container 28 disposed at
the end of the telescopic chute 27 remote from the suction
container 7 to be filled with the excavated material. The discharge
flap 26 is then closed again and the exhaust blower 25 is
restarted, while the hauling container 28 is moved toward the shaft
opening 18. Material already excavated and newly excavated at the
shaft bottom 4 during the continuous operation of the milling drum
3 is then again conveyed via the suction line 6 into the suction
container 7 until the suction container 7 is once again filled to
the predetermined fill level and an empty hauling container 28 is
disposed ready for loading at the end of the telescopic chute
27.
[0027] In this way, material excavated in a continuous excavating
operation can be discontinuously conveyed and hauled away.
[0028] FIG. 4 is a side view of another exemplary embodiment of a
device according to the invention, it being noted that like
elements in the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 3 and the
exemplary embodiment of FIG. 4 are provided with the same reference
numerals and will not all be described in more detail below, to
avoid repetition. The exemplary embodiment of FIG. 4, in deviation
from the exemplary embodiment of FIGS. 1 to 3, has two hauling
containers 28, each suspended from a respective hauling cable 29.
To alternately fill the two hauling containers 28, a pivoting chute
30 is disposed on the suction container 7 and can be oriented to
fill one hauling container 28 at a time.
[0029] FIG. 5 is a depiction similar to FIG. 2 of the exemplary
embodiment according to FIG. 4, with the pivoting chute 30 oriented
to fill one of the hauling containers 28.
[0030] FIG. 6 is a depiction similar to FIG. 2 of the exemplary
embodiment according to FIG. 4, with the pivoting chute 30 oriented
to fill the other hauling container 28.
[0031] The operation of the exemplary embodiment according to FIGS.
4 to 6 is such that the two hauling containers 28 are disposed
alternately at the suction container 7, thus permitting shorter
cycle times for emptying the suction container 7 than with the
exemplary embodiment according to FIGS. 1 to 3.
[0032] While this invention has been described as having a
preferred design, the present invention can be further modified
within the spirit and scope of this disclosure. This application is
therefore intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of
the invention using its general principles. Further, this
application is intended to cover such departures from the present
disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to
which this invention pertains and which fall within the limits of
the appended claims.
* * * * *