CUTTING TOOL

Abstract

A cutting tool (1) for producing a narrow trench (2) in the ground (3) for laying cables (4) or the like, comprising a carrier device (5) which has a hub region (6) for connecting the cutting tool (1) to a rotary drive (7) and a peripheral region (8), wherein arranged in the peripheral region (8) of the carrier device (5) are cutting segments (9) spaced from each other in the axial direction (10), wherein the carrier device (5) is in one piece and has a peripheral surface (11) at which are arranged raised portions (12, 13) which project from the peripheral surface (11) in the radial direction (14) and on which the cutting segments (9) are arranged.

Claims

1. A cutting tool (1) for producing a narrow trench (2) in the ground (3) for laying cables (4) or the like, comprising a carrier device (5) which has a hub region (6) for connecting the cutting tool (1) to a rotary drive (7) and a peripheral region (8), wherein arranged in the peripheral region (8) of the carrier device (5) are cutting segments (9) spaced from each other in the axial direction (10), characterised in that the carrier device (5) is in one piece and has a peripheral surface (11) at which are arranged raised portions (12, 13) which project from the peripheral surface (11) in the radial direction (14) and on which the cutting segments (9) are arranged.

2. A cutting tool (1) according to claim 1 wherein the raised portions (12, 13) are arranged in at least two rows (15, 16, 17) spaced from each other in the axial direction (10), preferably wherein the spacing (18) of adjacent rows (15, 16, 17) is 2 mm to 7 mm, particularly preferably about 4.5 mm.

3. A cutting tool (1) according to claim 2 wherein the raised portions (12, 13) are arranged in at least three rows (15, 16, 17) spaced from each other in the axial direction (10) and wherein the raised portions (12) of the inner row or rows (16) project from the peripheral surface (11) further in the radial direction (14), preferably by a distance (19) of 1 mm, in relation to the raised portions (12, 13) of the outer rows (15, 17).

4. A cutting tool (1) according to claim 1 wherein arranged between the raised portions (12, 13) and the cutting segments (9) arranged thereon are passages (20) for carrying a cooling fluid (21), preferably cooling water.

5. A cutting tool (1) according to claim 1 wherein the cutting segments (9) are welded to the raised portions (12, 13).

6. A cutting tool (1) according to claim 1 wherein the raised portions (12, 13) are spaced from each other by slots (23) in a direction of rotation (22) of the cutting tool (1), preferably wherein the slots (23) are of a width (24) of 2 mm to 20 mm, particularly preferably about 13 mm.

7. A cutting tool (1) according to claim 1 wherein the raised portions (12, 13) are of a height (25, 38) of 15 mm to 25 mm, preferably about 20 mm, with respect to the peripheral surface (11).

8. A cutting tool (1) according to claim 1 wherein the carrier device (5) is of a substantially constant thickness (26) in the axial direction (10), wherein preferably the thickness (26) is 10 mm to 40 mm, particularly preferably about 22 mm to 23 mm.

9. A cutting tool (1) according to claim 1 wherein the cutting tool (1) is of a diameter (27) of 700 mm to 1200 mm, preferably about 1000 mm.

10. A cutting tool (1) according to claim 1 wherein the cutting tool (1) has raised portions (13) displaced inclinedly in the direction of the centre (29) at given angular spacings (28) and cutting segments (9) arranged thereon.

11. A cutting tool (1) according to claim 1 wherein the cutting segments (9) are of a length (30) of 30 mm to 50 mm, preferably about 40 mm, and/or are of a width (31) of 4 mm to 7 mm, preferably about 5.5 mm, and/or are of a height (32) of 5 mm to 15 mm, preferably about 10 mm.

12. A laying machine (33) for laying cables (4) or the like in the ground (3) characterised in that the laying machine (33) has at least one cutting tool (1) according to claim 1.

13. A laying machine (33) according to claim 12 wherein the laying machine (33) has at least one source (34) for the delivery of a cooling fluid (21), preferably cooling water, which is so arranged relative to the at least one cutting tool (1) that the cooling fluid (21) can be delivered in the peripheral region (8) of the at least one cutting tool (1) on to the raised portions (12, 13) and the cutting segments (9) arranged thereon.

14. A process (35) for producing a cutting tool (1) according to claim 3 wherein in a first process step (36) firstly cutting segments (9) are arranged, preferably welded, on the raised portions (12) of the inner row or rows (16) and then in a second process step (37) cutting segments (9) are arranged, preferably welded, on the raised portions (12, 13) of the outer rows (15, 17).

15. A cutting tool (1) according to claim 2 wherein arranged between the raised portions (12, 13) and the cutting segments (9) arranged thereon are passages (20) for carrying a cooling fluid (21), preferably cooling water.

16. A cutting tool (1) according to claim 3 wherein arranged between the raised portions (12, 13) and the cutting segments (9) arranged thereon are passages (20) for carrying a cooling fluid (21), preferably cooling water.

17. A cutting tool (1) according to claim 2 wherein the cutting segments (9) are welded to the raised portions (12, 13).

18. A cutting tool (1) according to claim 3 wherein the cutting segments (9) are welded to the raised portions (12, 13).

19. A cutting tool (1) according to claim 4 wherein the cutting segments (9) are welded to the raised portions (12, 13).

20. A cutting tool (1) according to claim 15 wherein the cutting segments (9) are welded to the raised portions (12, 13).

Description

[0020] Further details and advantages of the invention will be described more fully hereinafter by means of the specific description with reference to the drawings in which:

[0021] FIG. 1 shows a view on to the side of a preferred embodiment of the cutting tool,

[0022] FIG. 2 also shows a view from the side on to the central plane of that cutting tool,

[0023] FIG. 3 shows a cross-sectional view of the peripheral region of that cutting tool,

[0024] FIG. 4 shows a preferred embodiment of a laying machine according to the invention, and

[0025] FIG. 5 shows a flow chart to illustrate the process according to the invention for producing the cutting tool.

[0026] The cutting tool 1 shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, in accordance with a particularly preferred embodiment, includes a carrier device 5 which is made in one piece and which has a hub region 6 for connecting the cutting tool 1 to a rotary drive and a peripheral region 8, wherein arranged in that peripheral region 8 of the carrier device 5 are cutting segments 9 spaced from each other in the axial direction 10 (see FIG. 3). The term axial direction is used to mean a direction parallel to the axis of rotation of the cutting tool 1. A direction perpendicular thereto is identified hereinafter as a radial direction 14 (see also the coordinate system shown in FIG. 3).

[0027] The cutting segments 9 can be diamond segments.

[0028] According to the invention it is provided that the carrier device 5 is in one piece and has a peripheral surface 11 (shown in broken line in FIG. 3), at which there are arranged raised portions 12 and 13 which project in the radial direction 14 from that peripheral surface 11 and on which the cutting segments 9 are arranged.

[0029] In the present case the raised portions 12 and 13 are arranged in three rows 15, 16 and 17 (see FIG. 3) which are spaced from each other in the axial direction 10. In this respect FIG. 1 shows a view from the side on to the cutting tool 1, that is to say in this case the rows 16 and 17 respectively are visible. The cutting segments 9 of the central plane which would be seen at the locations of the protective segments (see hereinafter) have been omitted from this view for the sake of clarity. FIG. 2 shows a view on to the central plane also from the side, that is to say in this case the inner central row 16 of raised portions 12 is visible.

[0030] The spacing 18 between adjacent rows 15, 16 and 17 is 2 mm to 7 mm, preferably about 4.5 mm.

[0031] Provided in the centre 29 of the cutting tool 1 which is of a substantially rotationally symmetrical configuration is a central bore 39 which serves to receive a spindle of a rotary drive.

[0032] Provided concentrically around the central bore 39 at regular angular spacings are bores 40, by way of which the cutting tool 1 or the carrier device 5 can be non-rotatably connected to the rotary drive. In the illustrated case the hub region 6 of the carrier device 5 therefore includes a central bore 39 and bores 40 arranged concentrically therearound.

[0033] The cutting tool 1 is of a diameter 27 of 700 mm to 1200 mm, preferably about 1000 mm.

[0034] The raised portions 12 and 13, on which the cutting segments 9 are arranged, are spaced by slots 23 in a direction of rotation 22 of the cutting tool 1. Those slots 23 are of a width 24 of 2 mm to 20 mm, preferably about 13 mm.

[0035] Overall the raised portions 12 and 13 are so arranged on the carrier device 5 that a battlement structure is afforded both in a view from the side and also in the axial direction 10.

[0036] The cutting segments 9 are welded to the raised portions 12 and 13.

[0037] At certain angular spacings 28 the cutting tool 1 has raised portions 13 which are displaced inclinedly in the direction of the centre 29, or cutting segments 9 disposed thereon. Those protective segments are intended to cut free and thus protect the weld locations of the other cutting segments 9. The protective segments are provided only at the two outsides of the cutting tool 1, that is to say in relation to the rows 15 and 17. No such protective segments are required in relation to the inner row 16.

[0038] Referring in particular to FIG. 3 it is further to be noted that the raised portions 12 of the inner row 16 project in the radial direction further from the peripheral surface 11, preferably by a distance 19 of 1 mm, in relation to the raised portions 12 and 13 of the outer rows 15 and 17.

[0039] It can also be clearly seen that the cutting segments 9 are arranged in a condition of radial prolongation of the raised portions 12 and 13. This means that the cutting segments 9 contact the raised portions 12, 13 with an underside at the outwardly facing surfaces of the raised portions 12, 13.

[0040] In addition it can be clearly seen from FIG. 3 that provided between the raised portions 12, 13 and the cutting segments 9 disposed thereon are passages 20 which can be used to carry a cooling fluid.

[0041] The raised portions 12, 13, in relation to the peripheral surface 11, are of a height 25 and 38 respectively of 15 mm to 150 mm, preferably about 20 mm.

[0042] The carrier device 5 in the axial direction 10 is of a substantially constant thickness 26, wherein the thickness 26 is 10 mm to 40 mm, particularly preferably about 22 mm to 23 mm.

[0043] The cutting segments 9 are of a length 30 of 30 mm to 50 mm, preferably about 40 mm (see also FIG. 1), a width 31 of 4 mm to 7 mm, preferably about 5.5 mm, and a height 32 of 5 mm to 15 mm, preferably about 10 mm.

[0044] The raised portions 12, 13 are of a width 41 of 3 mm to 8 mm, preferably about 5 mm, in the axial direction 10.

[0045] The cutting segments 9 are widened by some tenths of a millimetre in the axial direction in relation to the raised portions 12, 13.

[0046] A dash-dotted line in FIG. 3 also indicates a laser beam 47 which in the course of the process 35 for producing the cutting tool 1 (see also FIG. 5) is used in the course of the first process step 36 to firstly weld the cutting segments 9 to the raised portions 12 of the inner row 16. By virtue of the fact that the raised portions 12 of the inner row 16 project in the radial direction 14 further from the peripheral surface 11 in relation to the raised portions 12, 13 of the outer rows 15 and 17, the laser beam 47 can be passed over the raised portions 12, 13 of the outer rows 15 and 17 at a substantially right angle to the weld location as the cutting segments are in fact welded to raised portions 12 and 13 of the outer rows 15 and 17 only in the course of the second process step 37.

[0047] FIG. 4 diagrammatically shows a laying machine 33 for laying cables 4 or the like in the ground 3, wherein the laying machine 33 has a cutting tool 1.

[0048] The cutting tool 1 is connected to a rotary drive 7 by way of the hub region of the carrier device, whereby the cutting tool can be caused to rotate in a preferred direction of rotation 22.

[0049] The laying machine 33 further has a source 34 for the delivery of a cooling fluid 21 in the form of cooling water, wherein the source 34 is so arranged relative to the cutting tool 1 that the cooling fluid 21 can be directed in the peripheral region of the cutting tool 1 on to the raised portions and the cutting segments disposed thereon. The cooling fluid is then subsequently passed into the passages 20 (see FIG. 3) and serves for cooling the cutting segments 9 and the adjoining regions of the carrier device 5.

[0050] The cutting tool 1 contacts the ground 3 in the course of its rotation and cuts or mills a narrow trench 2 in the ground 3. The laying machine 33 can have a collecting arrangement for intermediate storage of the removed ground material.

[0051] The laying machine 33 has rollers 44, by way of which the laying machine 33 is supported on the ground 3 and by way of which it can be drivingly moved in an advance direction 43.

[0052] The vehicle frame 42 of the laying machine 33 is shown in broken line in FIG. 4.

[0053] The laying machine 33 further includes at least one unwinding device 45, from which the cable 4 to be laid can be unwound and laid in the trench 2. It will be appreciated that the laying machine 33 can also include a plurality of unwinding devices 45 and can be adapted to lay a plurality of cables 4 in the trench 2.

[0054] And finally the laying machine 33 also has a device 46 for the delivery of concrete or the like, with which the trench 2 can be immediately closed again after the cable has been laid.

[0055] FIG. 5 shows a flow chart to diagrammatically illustrate the process 35 for producing the cutting tool 1, wherein in a first process step 36 firstly cutting segments 9 are arranged or welded on the raised portions 12 of the inner row 16 and then in a second process step 37 cutting segments 9 are arranged or welded on the raised portions 12 and 13 of the outer rows 15 and 17 (see also FIG. 3).