TRENCH WALL CUTTING DEVICE AND METHOD FOR CUTTING A CUTTING TRENCH IN THE GROUND

Abstract

The invention relates to a trench wall cutting device comprising a trench cutter having at least one cutting frame unit and at least two cutting wheels arranged in the longitudinal direction of the cutting frame unit and is configured for cutting a substantially vertical cutting trench in the ground, a supporting structure for suspending the trench cutter in a cutting position and moving it in a substantially vertical cutting direction for creating the cutting trench, and a feed device for feeding the trench cutter in a feeding direction which is oriented transversely to the cutting direction. According to the invention, it is provided that the feed device is configured for feeding the at least one cutting frame unit with the two cutting wheels in a transversely-oriented feed position, wherein the longitudinal direction of the cutting frame unit is oriented in parallel to the feeding direction, and that a pivoting device is provided by means of which the cutting frame unit with the cutting wheels can be pivoted from the transversely-oriented feed position into the substantially vertical cutting position.

Claims

1. A trench wall cutting device, comprising a trench cutter comprising at least one cutting frame unit and at least two cutting wheels arranged in the longitudinal direction of the cutting frame unit and is configured for cutting a substantially vertical cutting trench in the ground, a supporting structure for suspending the trench cutter in a cutting position and moving it in a substantially vertical cutting direction to create the cutting trench, and a feed device for feeding the trench cutter in a feeding direction which is oriented transversely to the cutting direction, wherein the feed device is configured for feeding the at least one cutting frame unit with the two cutting wheels in a transversely oriented feed position, wherein the longitudinal direction of the cutting frame unit is oriented in parallel to the feeding direction, and a pivoting device is provided, by means of which the cutting frame unit with the cutting wheels can be pivoted from the transversely-oriented feed position into the substantially vertical cutting position.

2. The trench wall cutting device according to claim 1, wherein the feed device comprises at least one rail along which the at least one cutting frame unit can be displaced.

3. The trench wall cutting device according to claim 1, wherein the trench cutter is formed by a single cutting frame unit on which the cutting wheels are mounted.

4. The trench wall cutting device according to claim 1, wherein the pivoting device is arranged on the feed device and/or the supporting structure.

5. The trench wall cutting device according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of cutting frame units are provided for forming the trench cutter, wherein the cutting wheels are mounted on a cutting frame unit and, in addition, at least one further cutting frame unit is detachably attached thereto.

6. The trench wall cutting device according to claim 5, wherein the cutting frame units are connected to the respective adjacent cutting frame unit via at least one pivot joint.

7. The trench wall cutting device according to claim 5, wherein a first cutting frame unit with the cutting wheels and at least one further cutting frame unit with a drive unit, a pump unit, a supply unit, guide plates and/or a holding device are provided.

8. The trench wall cutting device according to claim 1, wherein the trench cutter comprises two pairs of cutting wheels.

9. A method for cutting a cutting trench in the ground with a trench wall cutting device, in particular according to claim 1, in which a supporting structure and a feed device are arranged, a trench cutter with at least one cutting frame unit and cutting wheels is fed to a working area by means of the feed device in a feeding direction which is oriented transversely to a cutting direction, and the trench cutter is suspended from the supporting structure and moved in a substantially vertical cutting direction, wherein a cutting trench is created in the ground by cutting away ground material, wherein the at least one cutting frame unit with the cutting wheels is fed in a transversely-oriented feed position by means of the feed device, wherein a longitudinal direction of the cutting frame unit is oriented in parallel to the feed device, and the at least one cutting frame unit with the cutting wheels is pivoted from the transversely oriented feed position into a substantially vertical cutting position by means of a pivoting device.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein a receiving recess is excavated in advance at the working area for forming the cutting trench, in which recess the at least one cutting frame unit and the cutting wheels are pivoted into the cutting position.

11. The method according to claim 9, wherein the trench cutter is assembled from a plurality of cutting frame units at the working area.

12. The method according to claim 9, wherein at least two adjacent cutting trenches are created, wherein after the creation of a first cutting trench the trench cutter is retracted from the first cutting trench, if necessary, with disconnecting of the plurality of cutting frame units, and in order to create a further cutting trench, the cutting frame units are moved along the feed device and reconnected to form the trench cutter, which is then lowered into the ground while cutting off ground material.

13. The method according to claim 9, wherein in order to create a trench wall in the ground, the at least one cutting trench is filled with a settable suspension which cures to become the trench wall.

Description

[0028] The invention is further described below with reference to preferred exemplary embodiments, which are shown schematically in the drawings. The drawings show in:

[0029] FIG. 1 a schematic side view of a first trench wall cutting device according to the invention;

[0030] FIG. 2 a first schematic side view of a further trench wall cutting device according to the invention during feeding to a working area;

[0031] FIG. 3 a schematic view of the trench wall cutting device of FIG. 2 pivoting into a receiving recess; and

[0032] FIG. 4 a schematic representation of the trench wall cutting device of FIGS. 2 and 3 in the cutting position.

[0033] A first trench wall cutting device 10 according to the invention as shown in FIG. 1 is arranged in a tunnel 2 with a ceiling area 4 and a ground 6, in which a receiving recess 7 with an arcuate side area 8 is introduced. Along the tunnel 2, a supporting structure 12 with a ceiling beam 13, which is only indicated schematically, is arranged. A feed device 14 with a rail 15 is arranged along the ground 6. The feed device 14 may be connected to the supporting structure 12 via vertical struts (not illustrated) and may constitute a part thereof.

[0034] Along the feed device 14, a trench cutter 30 is fed along a horizontal feeding direction Z in a transversely-oriented or lying position, as shown with dashed illustration. In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the trench cutter 30 is formed with a single cutting frame unit 32 having two pairs of cutting wheels 40 disposed on the underside thereof. A suction device 42 may be arranged above the cutting wheels 40 for suctioning off cut-away ground material.

[0035] When a working area is reached, the cutting frame unit 32 of the trench cutter 30 can be pivoted by about 90? into a cutting position into the receiving recess 7 by means of a pivoting device 20 with a pivot axis S oriented horizontally and transversely to the feeding direction Z, as is illustrated clearly in FIG. 1.

[0036] In the cutting position, the cutting wheels 40 of the trench cutter 30 are oriented downward, with an overall longitudinal direction of the cutting frame unit 32 being aligned vertically. The trench cutter 30 is suspended from the supporting structure 12 and can be lowered vertically into the ground 6 and retracted therefrom via a holding device, not shown, with at least one support cable. An energy supply as well as a supply and/or a discharge of suspension can be effected via lines (not illustrated), which are mounted on line drums along the supporting structure 12.

[0037] According to FIGS. 2 to 4, an alternative trench wall cutting device 10 is shown, which is constructed from two cutting frame units 32. Here, the cutting wheels 40 are mounted on a first cutting frame unit 32a. Adjacent to the first cutting frame unit 32a, a second cutting frame unit 32b is provided, which is pivotably connected to the first cutting frame unit 32a via a pivot joint 34.

[0038] According to FIG. 2, a feed of the trench cutter 30 with the two cutting frame units 32a, 32b takes place along a supporting structure (not illustrated) and a feed device (not illustrated) which can be configured according to the embodiment of FIG. 1.

[0039] When reaching a working area in the manner shown in FIG. 3, the first cutting frame unit 32a can be pivoted about the pivot joint 34 by about 90? downward into a receiving recess 7 by means of a pivoting device (not shown in greater detail).

[0040] Subsequently, the second cutting frame unit 32b can be after-pivoted about the pivot joint 34 of the first cutting frame unit 32a, as clearly shown in FIG. 4.

[0041] The two cutting frame units 32a, 32b can be firmly connected to each other in the assembled vertical position via a detachable connecting device (not shown in greater detail), so that cutting away can then be carried out by lowering the trench cutter 30 into the ground 6. In this process, the trench cutter 30 can be moved vertically via a support cable as a holding device 18 on the supporting structure.

[0042] After reaching a final depth, the trench cutter 30 can be retracted from the cutting trench again, whereupon the individual cutting frame units 32 are released from each other again and pivoted back about the pivot joint 34 into the horizontal or transversely-oriented feed position according to FIG. 2.

[0043] In the two exemplary embodiments shown, the trench cutter 10 or the individual cutting frame units 32a and 32b are each pivoted about an axis parallel to the axis of rotation of the cutting wheels. Of course, it is likewise possible and within the scope of the invention that pivoting is performed about a pivot axis that is perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the cutting wheels 40 and is preferably horizontal, i.e. in the lying position the two pairs of cutting wheels 40 are not arranged one above the other but side by side.