TRENCH CUTTER

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a trench cutter with at least one milling wheel that is rotatably mounted on a bearing plate and has at least one adjustable cutting tool for crushing soil material, wherein the adjustable cutting tool comprises a base body that is movably mounted on the milling wheel and interacts with the bearing plate in such a way that the adjustable cutting tool moves automatically between a folded-in position and a folded-out position as a function of the angle of rotation when the milling wheel is rotated. The adjustable cutting tool can be moved from the folded-out position into the folded-in position via a first guide element that contacts the bearing plate. According to the disclosure, the first guide element is formed integrally with the base body and projects from the base body in the direction of the bearing plate on a side facing the bearing plate.

Claims

1. Trench cutter with at least one milling wheel that is rotatably mounted on a bearing plate and has at least one adjustable cutting tool for crushing soil material, wherein the adjustable cutting tool comprises a base body that is movably mounted on the milling wheel and interacts with the bearing plate in such a way that the adjustable cutting tool moves automatically between a folded-in position and a folded-out position as a function of the angle of rotation when the milling wheel is rotated, wherein the adjustable cutting tool can be moved from the folded-out position into the folded-in position via a first guide element that contacts the bearing plate, wherein the first guide element is formed integrally with the base body and projects from the base body in the direction of the bearing plate on a side facing the bearing plate.

2. Trench cutter according to claim 1, wherein the adjustable cutting tool is designed such that in the folded-in position it is axially spaced apart from the bearing plate and can be moved past it and in the folded-out position it projects into a region radially adjacent to the bearing plate.

3. Trench cutter according to claim 1, wherein the adjustable cutting tool is pivotably mounted on the milling wheel.

4. Trench cutter according to claim 1, wherein the base body has a chamfer, which extends at least partially onto the first guide element and is located on a front edge of the base body in the direction of rotation during milling operation.

5. Trench cutter according to claim 1, wherein the base body has a holder for a replaceable milling tooth and the first guide element is arranged in front of the holder in the direction of rotation during milling operation, wherein the holder comprises a recess extending in the direction of a pivot axis of the base body.

6. Trench cutter according to claim 1, wherein the first guide element is arranged on a front portion of the base body in the direction of rotation during milling operation.

7. Trench cutter according to claim 1, wherein only one first guide element is provided for moving the adjustable cutting tool from the folded-out position into the folded-in position.

8. Trench cutter according to claim 1, wherein the first guide element comprises a flat portion pointing towards the bearing plate in the folded-in position, which adjoins a chamfer of the base body.

9. Trench cutter according to claim 1, wherein the adjustable cutting tool comprises a second guide element, which is designed such that the adjustable cutting tool can be moved from the folded-in position to the folded-out position by contacting the bearing plate, wherein the second guide element is spaced apart from the first guide element in the radial direction and is arranged on a side of a pivot axis of the base body opposite the first guide element.

10. Trench cutter according to claim 1, wherein a control guide is provided on the bearing plate, which interacts with the adjustable cutting tool such that it moves automatically between the folded-in position and the folded-out position when the milling wheel is rotated, depending on the angle of rotation.

11. Trench cutter according to claim 10, wherein the control guide comprises a control bar arranged on the bearing plate, which extends in a first angular range around the axis of rotation of the milling wheel and is designed in such a way that the adjustable cutting tool moves from the folded-in position into the folded-out position by contacting the control bar, wherein the control bar has a chamfer that slopes down towards the bearing plate at at least one end at both ends.

12. Trench cutter according to claim 10, wherein the control guide comprises a control surface or a second control bar, which extends in a second angular range around the axis of rotation of the milling wheel and is designed such that the adjustable cutting tool moves from the folded-out position into the folded-in position by contacting the control surface or second control bar through the first guide element.

13. Trench cutter according to claim 1, wherein a milling wheel is arranged on opposite sides of the bearing plate, wherein the milling wheels are coaxially mounted and each have at least one adjustable cutting tool, wherein the trench cutter has two bearing plates, each having a pair of milling wheels.

14. Adjustable cutting tool a hinged tooth, for a trench cutter according to claim 1.

15. Carrier device having a trench cutter according to claim 1.

16. Carrier device of claim 15, wherein the carrier device is a cable excavator.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0036] Further features, details and advantages of the disclosure result from the following exemplary embodiment explained with the help of the figures. In the drawings:

[0037] FIG. 1: shows an exemplary embodiment of the trench cutter according to the disclosure in a schematic front view;

[0038] FIGS. 2-3: shows the adjustable cutting tool according to a preferred exemplary embodiment in perspective views; and

[0039] FIG. 4: shows the adjustable cutting tool in a side view with a view of the front edge.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0040] FIG. 1 schematically shows an exemplary embodiment of the trench cutter 10 according to the disclosure with a view of its front side. The trench cutter 10 according to the disclosure shown in this exemplary embodiment comprises a milling frame 11 having three frame parts, which can be detachably connected to each other. Alternatively, the milling frames 11 can comprise a larger or smaller number of frame parts or can be designed in one piece. The trench cutter 10 can be suspended from the top of the milling frame 11 on a carrier device (not shown here).

[0041] At the lower end of the milling frame 11 are two pairs, each with two milling wheels 14 (shown here only schematically) for removing and crushing soil material. The milling wheels 14 shown are arranged next to each other in a radial direction. There is another pair of milling wheels on the rear side, which is not visible here because it is concealed. The milling wheels 14 are rotatably mounted on bearing plates 12, that are attached to the underside of the milling frame 11.

[0042] A suction box 20 is located in a region between the milling wheels 14 of a pair of milling wheels and above the horizontal plane formed by the axes of rotation of the milling wheels 14 (when the trench cutter 10 is upright). This has an elongated shape and runs parallel to the axes of rotation of the milling wheels 14 from one side of the trench cutter 10 with one pair of milling wheels to the opposite side with the other pair of milling wheels. In the exemplary embodiment shown here, there is a bearing plate 12 with two coaxially arranged milling wheels 14 on each side of the suction box 20, which is primarily used to suck the overburden-liquid suspension out of the trench in the ground by means of an overburden feed pump (not shown). The suction box 20 has a box-shaped, symmetrical structure and is preferably mounted on the underside of the milling frame 11 via a mounting plate.

[0043] Several cutting tools are arranged on the outer circumferential surfaces of the milling wheels 14, which are used to remove and crush soil material. These cutting tools can also be referred to as crushing tools and each comprise a base body 31 and a replaceable milling tooth mounted therein (not shown). In the present exemplary embodiment, the base bodies 31 and the milling teeth have a flat shape, wherein other geometries (e.g. conical cutting tools or milling teeth) are also conceivable.

[0044] The cutting tools must be moved past the bearing plate 12 without colliding when the respective milling wheel 14 is rotated. In order to also be able to remove soil material between the milling wheels 14, in a region adjacent to the narrow sides of the bearing plate 12, the outer cutting tools 30, which run directly past the bearing plate 12, are not fixed, i.e. immovably arranged on the milling wheel 14, but are adjustable. A preferred exemplary embodiment of such an adjustable cutting tool 30 without an inserted milling tooth is shown in FIGS. 2-4.

[0045] The adjustable cutting tool 30 can pivot about an axis of rotation formed by a joint 37 between a folded-in position and a folded-out position and is therefore also referred to as a hinged tooth 30 (in the following, both terms are used synonymously). In the folded-in position, the adjustable cutting tool 30 is pivoted away from the bearing plate 12 so that it can be moved past it without collision. In the folded-out position, the adjustable cutting tool 30 is pivoted out or folded out in the direction of the bearing plate 12 such that the milling tooth protrudes into the region next to or under the bearing plate 12 and can remove any soil material present there.

[0046] FIG. 2 shows the preferred exemplary embodiment of the adjustable cutting tool 30 according to the disclosure in a first perspective view, while a second perspective view is shown in FIG. 3 and a side view with a view of a front edge (which first comes into contact with soil material during normal operation or the normal direction of rotation of the cutting wheel) is shown in FIG. 4.

[0047] The hinged tooth 30 comprises a base body 31, which is pivotably attached to the outer circumference of the milling wheel 14 via a joint 37. In the radial direction above the pivot axis or the joint 37 (i.e. the upper part of the hinged tooth 30 in FIG. 2), the base body 31 has a flat upper portion with a recess 32 (=holder) for a milling tooth (not shown). In this exemplary embodiment, the recess 32 is U-shaped and extends from an upper edge of the base body 31 in the direction of the joint 37. The milling tooth can be pushed into the recess 32 as a replaceable wear part and locked in place.

[0048] In FIG. 2, the left side of the hinged tooth 30 shown represents the front side or front edge, which is at the front when the milling wheel 14 is rotated in normal operation, i.e. it leads. The front region of the upper flat portion of the base body 31 next to the recess 32 forms a first portion 33, which has a bevelled front edge 38, i.e. bevelled on both sides and having a curved shape, which extends substantially from the joint 37 to the recess 32. The rear region of the upper flat portion of the base body 31 next to the recess 32 forms a second portion 34, which in the exemplary embodiment shown here has no chamfer and has a greater radial length (or height) than the first portion 33.

[0049] On a side surface of the first portion 33, namely on the side facing the bearing plate 12, the base body 31 has a first guide element 40, which is formed in one piece with the base body 31 and is integrated into its welded construction and into the chamfer 35 of the first portion 33. The first guide element 40 comprises a flat portion 42, which in the exemplary embodiment shown extends flat and parallel to the side surface of the first portion 33. The flat portion 42 merges into the chamfer 35, which can be wider in the region of the first guide element 40 than, for example, in the region of the front edge 38 between the first guide element 40 and the joint 37.

[0050] The first guide element 40 or its flat portion 42 protrudes from the side surface of the base body 31, such that contact with the bearing plate 12 is only made via the first guide element 40 and not via another portion of the base body 31. No such guide element 40 is provided on the other side of the base body 31; instead, the first portion 33 is flat on this side (see FIG. 4). Accordingly, the chamfer 35 on the side of the first guide element 40 can be wider than on the opposite side of the base body 31 (see FIG. 4).

[0051] In the radial direction below the pivot axis or the joint 37 (i.e. the lower part of the hinged tooth 30 in FIG. 2), the base body 31 has a driver arm 36, on the side of which facing the bearing plate 12 a second guide element 50 is arranged. Compared to the upper flat portion of the base body 31, the driver arm 36 is offset towards the rear in the direction of the flat side that does not have the first guide element 40, such that the second guide element 50 is located approximately below the joint 37 in relation to the centre plane of the upper flat portion of the base body 31. Thus, the second guide element 50 does not protrude beyond an imaginary extension of the side surface of the upper flat portion of the base body 31 and does not come into contact with the latter when this side surface is aligned parallel to the bearing plate 12 (=folded-in position).

[0052] The length of the adjustable milling teeth 30 and the thickness of the bearing plate 12 determine how much material can be removed in the region between the milling wheels 14 and how large the remaining, non-removed web of soil material is. The thickness of the bearing plate 12 is determined in particular by the intended use and the static requirements of the system. The pivoting hinged tooth 30 is provided to reduce this material protrusion to a minimum. This is forced into different pivot positions and axial distances at certain angles of rotation via a control guide (not shown) provided on the side of the bearing plate 12 when the milling wheel 14 is rotated.

[0053] In order to guide the hinged tooth 30 past the bearing plate 12 without collision, the hinged tooth 30 is pivoted or folded into a folded-in position shortly before reaching the bearing plate 12, in which the upper flat portion of the base body 31 is aligned essentially parallel to the side surface of the bearing plate 12. This is achieved by the first guide element 40 contacting the bearing plate 12, which causes the base body 31 to pivot away from the bearing plate 12. For this purpose, the bearing plate 12 preferably has a control surface that is contacted and swept by the first guide element 40. The bearing plate 12 can have bevelled or tapered edges in the inlet and outlet regions in order to guide the first guide element 40 to the control surface and thus achieve a gradual or gentle folding process. Alternatively, a control or cam bar can be provided instead of the control surface.

[0054] In order to be able to remove the excess material radially next to or to the side of the bearing plate 12, the hinged tooth 30 is pivoted into a folded-out position after leaving the region of the bearing plate 12, in which the milling tooth projects into the region to be removed next to the bearing plate 12. For this purpose, the second guide element 50, which acts as a driver, contacts a corresponding control bar, which is circularly formed on the bearing plate 12 (not shown) and is contacted or swept over by the second guide element 50. The ends of the control bar, also known as the control cam, are bevelled towards the bearing plate 12 in order to achieve a continuous transition between the folded-in and folded-out positions.

[0055] The first guide element 40 thus assumes the function of known sensing fingers, wherein in this exemplary embodiment only a single guide element 40 is provided on the base body 31, namely in the front portion 33 of the hinged tooth 30. This allows the hinged tooth 30 in the outlet region to be moved into the folded-out position earlier after the end of the bearing plate 12, as the single first guide element 40 leaves the bearing plate 12 earlier than the rear portion 34 of the base body 31. In particular, this makes it possible to pivot the hinged tooth 30 into the folded-out position well before 3 o'clock and thus better remove excess material in the longitudinal direction of the trench cutter 10. This increases the clearance of the trench cutter 10 in the trench in the ground and thus its controllability. With this geometry, it is also possible to move the hinged tooth 30 into the folded-out position when turning the milling wheel 14 backwards.

[0056] The integration of the first guide element 40 into the base body 31 and its front chamfer results in a particularly robust and compact design and thus less wear and improved kinematics of the hinged tooth 30.

[0057] FIGS. 2-4 are drawn to scale, although other relative dimensions and positioning may be used if desired.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0058] 10 Trench cutter [0059] 11 Milling frame [0060] 12 Bearing plate [0061] 14 Milling wheel [0062] 20 Suction box [0063] 30 Adjustable cutting tool (hinged tooth) [0064] 31 Base body [0065] 32 Recess [0066] 33 First portion [0067] 34 Second portion [0068] 35 Chamfer [0069] 36 Carrier arm [0070] 38 Front edge [0071] 40 First guide element [0072] 42 Flat portion [0073] 50 Second guide element