U.S. patent application number 14/582489 was filed with the patent office on 2016-06-30 for casing rotator.
This patent application is currently assigned to BUMA CE, LTD.. The applicant listed for this patent is BUMA CE, LTD.. Invention is credited to Sang Sik Lee, Sang Tae Lee.
Application Number | 20160186404 14/582489 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 56163539 |
Filed Date | 2016-06-30 |
United States Patent
Application |
20160186404 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Lee; Sang Sik ; et
al. |
June 30, 2016 |
CASING ROTATOR
Abstract
Disclosed herein is a casing rotator capable of distributing
loads applied to bearings to protect the bearings even though
verticality of a casing is not matched with verticality of an
intermediate frame or an upper frame of a rotator. The casing
rotator includes a lower frame unit, an intermediate frame unit, an
upper frame unit, a clamping cylinder, and a post unit. The lower
frame unit includes a lower frame, an outrigger, and a retainer
portion. The intermediate frame unit includes an intermediate
frame, a drive motor, a clamp body, and a drive bearing. The upper
frame unit includes an upper frame, a wedge clamp, and an upper
bearing. The clamping cylinder is configured to be stretchable. The
post unit includes a guide post, a lower guide, a crowd cylinder,
and an upper guide.
Inventors: |
Lee; Sang Sik; (Changwon-si,
KR) ; Lee; Sang Tae; (Busan, KR) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
BUMA CE, LTD. |
Gimhae-si |
|
KR |
|
|
Assignee: |
BUMA CE, LTD.
|
Family ID: |
56163539 |
Appl. No.: |
14/582489 |
Filed: |
December 24, 2014 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
405/249 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E02D 11/00 20130101 |
International
Class: |
E02D 11/00 20060101
E02D011/00; E02D 7/22 20060101 E02D007/22; E02D 13/04 20060101
E02D013/04; E02D 27/20 20060101 E02D027/20 |
Claims
1. A casing rotator comprising: a lower frame unit comprising a
lower frame having a through-hole into which a casing is inserted,
an outrigger installed to the lower frame such that the lower frame
is horizontally maintained and supported on a bottom, and a
retainer portion installed to the lower frame so as to fix the
casing inserted into the through-hole; an intermediate frame unit
comprising an intermediate frame located above the lower frame and
having a through-hole into which the casing is inserted, a drive
motor installed to the intermediate frame, a reduction gear portion
for reducing a driving speed of the drive motor and for
transferring the reduced speed, a clamp body having a through-hole
formed therein such that the casing is inserted into the
through-hole and coupled to the reduction gear portion so as to be
rotatable by the reduction gear portion, and a drive bearing
installed to the intermediate frame so as to support the clamp
body; an upper frame unit comprising an upper frame located above
the intermediate frame and having a through-hole into which the
casing is inserted, a wedge clamp inserted into the clamp body to
grip the casing, and an upper bearing installed to the upper frame
so as to support the wedge clamp; a clamping cylinder configured to
be stretchable such that the upper frame is vertically moved, one
end of the clamping cylinder being fixed to the upper frame and the
other end thereof being fixed to the intermediate frame; and a post
unit comprising a guide post installed to the intermediate frame, a
lower guide installed to the lower frame so as to be slidable along
the guide post, a crowd cylinder configured to be stretchable such
that the intermediate frame is vertically moved, one end of the
crowd cylinder being fixed to the lower guide and the other end
thereof being fixed to the guide post, and an upper guide fixed to
the upper frame so as to guide the guide post when the guide post
is vertically moved.
2. The casing rotator according to claim 1, wherein the guide post
comprises an upper guide post installed to an upper portion of the
intermediate frame so as to be inserted into the upper guide, and a
lower guide post installed to a lower portion of the intermediate
frame.
3. The casing rotator according to claim 2, wherein: the upper
guide has a penetrated support hole; and the post unit further
comprises a guide housing for enclosing the upper guide and an
elastic member installed to the guide housing so as to be inserted
into the support hole and support the upper guide post.
4. The casing rotator according to claim 3, wherein the elastic
member is one of a leaf spring, a coil spring, and a rubber.
5. The casing rotator according to claim 3, wherein the elastic
member comprises: a pressing body for pressing the upper guide post
at the support hole; a hydraulic cylinder having a support spring
therein and installed to the guide housing; and a piston, one end
of which is coupled to the pressing body by a hinge, the piston
being inserted into the hydraulic cylinder to be supported by the
support spring such that the pressing body presses the upper guide
post.
6. The casing rotator according to claim 1, wherein: the lower
guide and the crowd cylinder are integrally formed; and the
outrigger is installed to the lower guide.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a casing rotator, and more
particularly, to a casing rotator capable of distributing loads
applied to bearings to protect the bearings even though verticality
of a casing is not matched with verticality of an intermediate
frame or an upper frame of a rotator.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] A rotator is a device for foundation work, and is one of
various devices for driving a casing into the ground. The rotator
relatively easily secures verticality of the casing and is thus
preferred in a construction field. However, since the rotator is
expensive compared to a casing oscillator for performing the same
work and has low torque, pressing and pulling force, or the like,
the rotator is neglected in a construction field requiring a heavy
load according to complex geological conditions.
[0003] However, the rotator is constantly used in a field in which
geological conditions are relatively simple and work is able to be
performed under a light load.
[0004] Korean Patent No. 10-0758113 discloses a method of
constructing a large diameter drilled pile in underwater rock using
such a casing rotator.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a casing
rotator that substantially obviates one or more problems due to
limitations and disadvantages of the related art.
[0006] Since a casing rotator digs using a casing, it is important
to match verticality of the casing and the rotator. Accordingly, an
object of the present invention is to provide a casing rotator
capable of matching verticality of a casing using upper and lower
guides.
[0007] In addition, since severe loads act on upper and lower
bearings when verticality of a casing is not accurately matched
with verticality of a rotator in the casing rotator, there is a
problem in that the bearings are damaged. Accordingly, another
object of the present invention is to provide a casing rotator
capable of preventing severe loads from acting on upper and lower
bearings even though axial lines of intermediate and upper frames
do not coincide with each other.
[0008] Additional advantages, objects, and features of the
invention will be set forth in part in the description which
follows and in part will become apparent to those having ordinary
skill in the art upon examination of the following or may be
learned from practice of the invention. The objectives and other
advantages of the invention may be realized and attained by the
structure particularly pointed out in the written description and
claims hereof as well as the appended drawings.
[0009] In accordance with an aspect of the present invention, a
casing rotator includes a lower frame unit, an intermediate frame
unit, an upper frame unit, a clamping cylinder, and a post unit.
The lower frame unit includes a lower frame having a through-hole
into which a casing is inserted, an outrigger installed to the
lower frame such that the lower frame is horizontally maintained
and supported on a bottom, and a retainer portion installed to the
lower frame so as to fix the casing inserted into the through-hole.
The intermediate frame unit includes an intermediate frame located
above the lower frame and having a through-hole into which the
casing is inserted, a drive motor installed to the intermediate
frame, a reduction gear portion for reducing a driving speed of the
drive motor and for transferring the reduced speed, a clamp body
having a through-hole formed therein such that the casing is
inserted into the through-hole and coupled to the reduction gear
portion so as to be rotatable by the reduction gear portion, and a
drive bearing installed to the intermediate frame so as to support
the clamp body. The upper frame unit includes an upper frame
located above the intermediate frame and having a through-hole into
which the casing is inserted, a wedge clamp inserted into the clamp
body to grip the casing, and an upper bearing installed to the
upper frame so as to support the wedge clamp. The clamping cylinder
is configured to be stretchable such that the upper frame is
vertically moved, one end of the clamping cylinder being fixed to
the upper frame and the other end thereof being fixed to the
intermediate frame. The post unit includes a guide post installed
to the intermediate frame, a lower guide installed to the lower
frame so as to be slidable along the guide post, a crowd cylinder
configured to be stretchable such that the intermediate frame is
vertically moved, one end of the crowd cylinder being fixed to the
lower guide and the other end thereof being fixed to the guide
post, and an upper guide fixed to the upper frame so as to guide
the guide post when the guide post is vertically moved.
[0010] In the casing rotator, the guide post may include an upper
guide post installed to an upper portion of the intermediate frame
so as to be inserted into the upper guide, and a lower guide post
installed to a lower portion of the intermediate frame.
[0011] In the casing rotator, the upper guide may have a penetrated
support hole. In this case, the post unit may further include a
guide housing for enclosing the upper guide and an elastic member
installed to the guide housing so as to be inserted into the
support hole and support the upper guide post.
[0012] In the casing rotator, the elastic member may be one of a
leaf spring, a coil spring, and a rubber.
[0013] In the casing rotator, the elastic member may include a
pressing body for pressing the upper guide post at the support
hole, a hydraulic cylinder having a support spring therein and
installed to the guide housing, and a piston, one end of which is
coupled to the pressing body by a hinge, the piston being inserted
into the hydraulic cylinder to be supported by the support spring
such that the pressing body presses the upper guide post.
[0014] In the casing rotator, the lower guide and the crowd
cylinder may be integrally formed. In this case, the outrigger may
be installed to the lower guide.
[0015] It is to be understood that both the foregoing general
description and the following detailed description of the present
invention are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide
further explanation of the invention as claimed.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] The above and other objects, features and other advantages
of the present invention will be more clearly understood from the
following detailed description taken in conjunction with the
accompanying drawings, in which:
[0017] FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a casing rotator
according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0018] FIG. 2 is a front view of the embodiment shown in FIG.
1;
[0019] FIG. 3 is a top view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;
[0020] FIG. 4 is a side view of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;
[0021] FIG. 5 is a perspective view illustrating a lower frame unit
of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;
[0022] FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating an intermediate
frame unit of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;
[0023] FIG. 7 is a perspective view illustrating an upper frame
unit of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;
[0024] FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional perspective view illustrating
the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;
[0025] FIG. 9 is a partially enlarged view of FIG. 8;
[0026] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the embodiment shown in
FIG. 1;
[0027] FIG. 11 is a partially enlarged view of FIG. 10;
[0028] FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view when viewed from direction
"A-A" in FIG. 2;
[0029] FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a post unit
of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1;
[0030] FIG. 14 is another conceptual view of the post unit;
[0031] FIG. 15 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 14.
[0032] FIG. 16 is a still another conceptual view of the post unit;
and
[0033] FIG. 17 is a further conceptual view of the post unit.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0034] Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be
described below in more detail with reference to the accompanying
drawings. The present invention may, however, be embodied in
different forms and should not be construed as limited to the
embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are
provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and
will fully convey the scope of the present invention to those
skilled in the art. Throughout the disclosure, like reference
numerals refer to like parts throughout the various figures and
embodiments of the present invention. The drawings are not
necessarily to scale and in some instances, proportions may have
been exaggerated in order to clearly illustrate features of the
embodiments.
[0035] Hereinafter, a casing rotator according to an embodiment of
the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1
to 13.
[0036] The casing rotator according to the embodiment of the
present invention includes a lower frame unit 10, an intermediate
frame unit 20, an upper frame unit 30, a clamping cylinder 40, and
a post unit 50.
[0037] The lower frame unit 10 includes a lower frame 11, an
outrigger 13, and a retainer portion 17. The lower frame 11 has a
through-hole 11a into which a casing may be inserted. The outrigger
13 is installed to the lower frame 11 such that the lower frame 11
may be horizontally maintained and supported on a bottom. The
retainer portion 17 is installed to the lower frame 11 so as to fix
the casing inserted into the through-hole 11a. The retainer portion
17 includes a retainer 17a and a retainer cylinder 17b capable of
enclosing the casting to fix the casing. When the retainer cylinder
17b is contracted, the retainer 17a encloses and fixes the
casing.
[0038] The intermediate frame unit 20 includes an intermediate
frame 21, a drive motor 23, a reduction gear portion 25, a clamp
body 27, and a drive bearing 29. The intermediate frame 21 is
located above the lower frame 11 and has a through-hole into which
the casing may be inserted.
[0039] The drive motor 23 is installed to the intermediate frame
20. The reduction gear portion 25 reduces a driving speed of the
drive motor 23 and transfers the reduced speed. To this end, the
reduction gear portion 25 may include a reduction gear, a pinion,
an idle, and the like. Since the drive motor 23 rotates at rapid
speed, the reduction gear portion 25 reduces the speed and
transfers the reduced speed. The clamp body 27 has a through-hole
formed therein such that the casing may be inserted into the
through-hole, and is coupled to the reduction gear portion 25 so as
to be rotatable by the reduction gear portion 25. The clamp body 27
is coupled to the reduction gear portion 25 by gears, and rotates
along with rotation of the reduction gear portion 25. In addition,
the clamp body 27 has an inclined groove formed therein such that a
wedge clamp 33 to be described later may be inserted into the
inclined groove. The drive bearing 29 is installed to the
intermediate frame 21 so as to support the clamp body 27. Thus,
when the drive motor 23 rotates, the driving speed of the drive
motor 23 is reduced by the reduction gear portion 25 and the drive
motor 23 rotates the clamp body 27. Since the clamp body 27 is
supported by the drive bearing 29, the clamp body 27 is rotatable
relative to the intermediate frame 21.
[0040] The upper frame unit 30 includes an upper frame 31, a wedge
frame 33, and an upper bearing 35. The upper frame 31 is located
above the intermediate frame 21 and has a through-hole 31a into
which the casing may be inserted. The wedge clamp 33 is inserted
into the clamp body 27 and serves to grip the casing. Since the
groove of the clamp body 27 into which the wedge clamp 33 is
inserted is inclined, the wedge clamp 33 is radially inwardly moved
when the wedge clamp 33 is inserted into the groove. Thus, when the
wedge clamp 33 is inserted into the groove, the casing inserted
into the clamp body 27 may be gripped. The upper bearing 35 is
installed to the upper frame 31 so as to support the wedge clamp
33. As a result, the wedge clamp 33 may rotate relative to the
upper frame 31.
[0041] The clamping cylinder 40 is configured to be stretchable,
and one end of the clamping cylinder 40 is fixed to the upper frame
31 and the other end thereof is fixed to the intermediate frame 21
such that the upper frame 31 is vertically moved. Thus, when the
clamping cylinder 40 is stretched or contracted, the upper frame 31
is vertically moved relative to the intermediate frame 21. First,
when the clamping cylinder 40 is contracted, the upper frame 31
moves downward. Consequently, the wedge clamp 33 is inserted into
the clamp body 27 and grips the casing inserted into the clamp body
27. When the clamping cylinder 40 is stretched, the upper frame 31
moves upward. In this case, the wedge clamp 33 is ejected from the
clamp body 27 and thus the casing is separated from the wedge clamp
33.
[0042] The post unit 50 includes a guide post 51, a lower guide 53,
a crowd cylinder 55, and an upper guide 57.
[0043] The guide post 51 is installed to the intermediate frame 21.
In this case, the guide post 51 is configured of an upper guide
post 51a and a lower guide post 51b. The upper guide post 51a is
fixed to an upper portion of the intermediate frame 21 and the
lower guide post 51b is fixed to a lower portion of the
intermediate frame 21.
[0044] The lower guide 35 is installed to the lower frame 11 so as
to be inserted into the lower guide post 51b and be slidable along
the lower guide post 51b.
[0045] One end of the crowd cylinder 55 is fixed to the lower guide
53 and the other end thereof is fixed to the guide post 51. The
crowd cylinder 55 is stretched or contracted such that the
intermediate frame 21 may be vertically moved. That is, when the
crowd cylinder 55 is stretched, the intermediate frame 21 moves
upward relative to the lower frame 11. In addition, when the crowd
cylinder 55 is contracted, the intermediate frame 21 moves downward
relative to the lower frame 11.
[0046] The upper guide is fixed to a lower portion of the upper
frame 31 such that the upper guide 57 is inserted into the upper
guide post 51a and is slidable when the guide post 51 is vertically
moved. Thus, when the crowd cylinder 55 is stretched or contracted,
the guide post 51 is vertically moved. In this case, the guide post
51 is guided along the upper and lower guides 53 and 57.
[0047] Meanwhile, the outrigger 13 is installed to the lower frame
11, but may also be installed to the lower guide 57 as in the
present embodiment.
[0048] Hereinafter, an operation of the casing rotator according to
the embodiment will be described. First, in order to dig using the
casing, the upper frame 31 moves downward by contraction of the
clamping cylinder 40.
[0049] Next, the wedge clamp 33 is inserted into the clamp body 27
and then grips the casing. Subsequently, the clamp body 27 rotates
by operation of the drive motor 23. Thus, the clamp body 27, the
wedge clamp 33, and the casing rotate. The clamp body 27 is
supported on the intermediate frame 21 by the drive bearing 29, and
the wedge clamp 33 is supported on the upper frame 31 by the upper
bearing 35. When the crowd cylinder 55 is contracted, the upper
frame 31 and the intermediate frame 21 are moved downward and the
casing digs. When the crowd cylinder 55 is contracted, the guide
post 51 may be guided along the upper and lower guides 57 and 53
and move downward.
[0050] Meanwhile, in the casing rotator shown in FIGS. 1 to 13,
when verticality of the casing is not matched with verticality of
the rotator, severe loads are applied to the drive bearing 29 and
the upper bearing 35, thereby causing the drive bearing 29 and the
upper bearing 35 to be easily damaged.
[0051] In this case, in order to prevent the severe loads from
being applied to the drive bearing 29 and the upper bearing 35, the
post unit 50 may further include a guide housing 59 and an elastic
member.
[0052] First, the elastic member is configured of a leaf spring 61
as shown in FIGS. 14 and 15. That is, the post unit 50 further
includes the guide housing 59 and the leaf spring 61. In this case,
the upper guide 57 has a plurality of support holes 57a which
penetrate an outer peripheral surface thereof and are formed in a
circumferential direction. The guide housing 59 encloses the upper
guide 57. The leaf spring 61 is supported by the guide housing 59
and is inserted into the support holes 57a to support the upper
guide post 51a. In this case, when a central axis of the casing
does not coincide with a central axis of the rotator, the guide
posts 51 are deviated from each other. Therefore, the leaf spring
61 supports the guide posts. Consequently, the loads applied to the
drive bearing 29 and the upper bearing 35 may be decreased.
[0053] Next, the elastic member includes a pressing body 63, a
hydraulic cylinder 67, and a piston 71 as shown in FIG. 16. In this
case, the upper guide 57 has a plurality of support holes 57a which
penetrate an outer peripheral surface thereof and are formed in a
circumferential direction. The pressing body 63 presses the upper
guide post 51a at positions at which the support holes 57a are
formed. The hydraulic cylinder 67 and the piston 71 may allow the
pressing body 63 to press the upper guide post 51a. To this end,
the hydraulic cylinder 67 is installed to the guide housing 65 and
has a support spring 69 formed therein. One end of the piston 71 is
inserted into the hydraulic cylinder 67 so as to be supported by
the support spring 69 and the other end thereof is coupled to the
pressing body 63. In the embodiment, the pressing body 63 presses
the upper guide post 51a by force of the supporting spring 69.
Thus, when axes of the guide posts 51 are deviated from each other,
the force is transferred to and absorbed by the support spring 69.
Meanwhile, the hydraulic cylinder 67 serves to have an attenuation
function when the piston 71 is moved by fluid received in the
hydraulic cylinder 67. Consequently, it may be possible to prevent
the piston 71 from rapidly moving. The elastic member may also be
another buffer device such as a coil spring or a rubber, in
addition to those described in the above embodiment.
[0054] Meanwhile, the lower guide 53 and the crowd cylinder 55 are
separately formed and the crowd cylinder 55 is inserted into the
lower guide 53 in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 13. However,
the crowd cylinder and the lower guide may be integrally formed as
shown in FIG. 17.
[0055] As is apparent from the above description, in accordance
with an embodiment of the present invention, it may be possible to
match verticality of a casing and a rotator since a guide post
slides along upper and lower guides.
[0056] In addition, in accordance with the embodiment of the
present invention, since an overload caused when axial lines of
upper and intermediate frames do not coincide with each other is
buffered by pressing of the guide post using a leaf spring or a
pressing body, loads acting on upper and lower bearings may be
reduced. Consequently, it may be possible to prevent the loads from
severely acting on the upper and lower bearings.
[0057] Although the present invention has been described with
respect to the illustrative embodiments, it will be apparent to
those skilled in the art that various variations and modifications
may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the
invention as defined in the following claims.
* * * * *