Cable recovery machine

Abstract

A cable recovery machine, having at least one traction module configured to hold and draw at least one cable, in particular of a cable laying plant, and at least one cutting module located downstream of the traction module and able to receive the cable that is introduced into the cutting module in a direction of feed (X1); the cutting module having at least one cutting unit provided with at least one cutting blade and integral with a shaft made to rotate by corresponding drive means, so that by rotating the shaft, the cutting unit is made to rotate and cuts the cable when the latter enters the cutting module in the direction of feed (X1).

Claims

1. A cable recovery machine, comprising: at least one traction module configured to hold and draw at least one cable of a cable laying plant, and at least one cutting module located downstream of the traction module and able to receive said cable that is introduced into said at least one cutting module in a direction of feed (X1), wherein the traction module comprises a frame on which one or more traction wheels and one or more idle wheels are positioned, between said traction wheels and said idle wheels a space being defined for the passage and traction of the cable to be recovered, wherein said at least one cutting module comprises at least one cutting unit positioned substantially along an axis (Y1, Y4) transverse to said direction of feed (X1) of the cable inside the at least one cutting module and provided with at least one cutting blade integrally affixed to a rotating shaft, said shaft being made to rotate by corresponding drive means, so that by rotating said shaft, said at least one cutting unit is made to rotate and the cutting blade cuts the cable into segments of a given length when the cable enters the at least one cutting module in said direction of feed of the cable (X1), and wherein said at least one cutting module comprises one or more support disks of the at least one cutting blade, integral with said rotation shaft of the cutting unit, and wherein the cable recovery machine further comprises discharge means located downstream of said cutting module and able to allow to discharge the segments of cable cut by the machine.

2. The machine as in claim 1, wherein said axis (Y1), along which said at least one cutting unit is positioned, is directed substantially parallel to an axis of rotation (Y2) of said shaft integral with the cutting unit.

3. The machine as in claim 1, wherein said axis (Y4) along which said at least one cutting unit is positioned, is directed substantially transverse to an axis of rotation (Y3) of said shaft integral with the cutting unit.

4. The machine as in claim 1, wherein it comprises discharge means located downstream of said at least one cutting module and able to allow to discharge the segments of cable cut by the machine.

5. The machine as in claim 4, wherein said at least one cutting module comprises a support structure provided with at least one aperture able to allow the direct passage of the cut segments of cable toward said discharge means.

6. The machine as in claim 5, wherein said discharge means comprise at least a first conveyor belt located under said aperture and at least a second conveyor belt located downstream of said first conveyor belt.

7. The machine as in claim 1, wherein it comprises a system to align the cable, located downstream of said traction module.

8. The machine as in claim 7, wherein said alignment system comprises a plurality of rollers disposed in sequence and on which the cable is made to pass in said direction of feed (X1).

9. Cable laying plant comprising at least a cable recovery machine provided with: At least one traction module configured to hold and draw at least one cable of the cable laying plant, and at least one cutting module located downstream of the traction module and able to receive said cable that is introduced into said at least one cutting module in a direction of feed (X1), wherein the traction module comprises a frame on which one or more traction wheels and one or more idle wheels are positioned, between said traction wheels and said idle wheels a space being defined for the passage and traction of the cable to be recovered, wherein said at least one cutting module comprises at least one cutting unit positioned substantially along an axis (Y1, Y4) transverse to said direction of feed (X1) of the cable inside the at least one cutting module and provided with at least one rotating cutting blade and integral with a shaft made to rotate by corresponding drive means, so that by rotating said shaft, said at least one cutting unit is made to rotate and the cutting blade cuts the cable into segments of a given length when the cable enters the at least one cutting module located downstream of said traction module in said direction of feed (X1) of the cable, wherein said at least one cutting module comprises one or more support disks of the at least one cutting blade, integral with said rotation shaft of the at least one cutting unit, and wherein the cable recovery machine further comprises discharge means located downstream of said cutting module and able to allow to discharge the segments of cable cut by the machine.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) These and other characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of some embodiments, given as a non-restrictive example with reference to the attached drawings wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 is a three-dimensional view of a cable recovery machine according to the present invention;

(3) FIG. 2 is a first three-dimensional view of a cable cutting module provided with a cutting unit in a raised position;

(4) FIG. 3 is a second three-dimensional view of the cutting unit in a lowered cutting position;

(5) FIG. 4 is a schematic plan view of a variant of the cutting module of the present machine.

(6) To facilitate comprehension, the same reference numbers have been used, where possible, to identify identical common elements in the drawings. It is understood that elements and characteristics of one embodiment can conveniently be incorporated into other embodiments without further clarifications.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(7) We will now refer in detail to the various embodiments of the present invention, of which one or more examples are shown in the attached drawings. Each example is supplied by way of illustration of the invention and shall not be understood as a limitation thereof. For example, the characteristics shown or described insomuch as they are part of one embodiment can be adopted on, or in association with, other embodiments to produce another embodiment. It is understood that the present invention shall include all such modifications and variants.

(8) Before describing these embodiments, we must also clarify that the present description is not limited in its application to details of the construction and disposition of the components as described in the following description using the attached drawings. The present description can provide other embodiments and can be obtained or executed in various other ways. We must also clarify that the phraseology and terminology used here is for the purposes of description only, and cannot be considered as limitative.

(9) With reference to the attached drawings and in particular to FIG. 1 thereof, a machine 10 to recover a cable 11, in particular of a cable laying plant, comprises at least a traction module 12.

(10) The traction module 12 is positioned above a support structure 13 of the machine 10, by means of which the machine 10 can be transported on a truck and can work both on the truck and directly on the ground.

(11) In some embodiments, the traction module 12 can comprise a frame 14 on which one or more traction wheels 15 and one or more idle wheels 16 are positioned.

(12) A space for the passage and traction of the cable 11 to be recovered is made between the traction wheels 15 and the idle wheels 16, by reciprocal distancing of the traction wheels 15 from the idle wheels 16, which is substantially determined by the entry of the cable 11 to be drawn into the traction module 12. The traction module 12 provides a side 17 for the entry and a side 18 for the exit of the cable 11 to be drawn. Rollers 19 to guide and align the cable 11 can be provided in correspondence with the entry side 17.

(13) The idle wheels 16 are provided with a support 20 connected mobile, in particular rotatable, to the frame 14 of the traction module 12 and are provided with actuators 21 configured to press the idle wheels 16 against the cable 11 which passes between them and the first pair of traction wheels 15, so that the space between the idle wheels 16 and the traction wheels 15 can be adjusted automatically according to the diameter or thickness of the cable 11 drawn.

(14) The idle wheels 16 could also provide a support 20 mobile sliding or translatable with respect to the frame 14 with the aid of the actuators 21.

(15) Substantially, the purpose of the traction wheels 15 is to transmit the speed and the torque required for traction to the cable 11, while the purpose of the idle wheels 16 is to press the cable 11 against the traction wheels 15 with the correct pressure, so as to generate the correct friction on the cable 11 for traction operations.

(16) The recovery speed of the cable 11 will therefore be determined by the speed of rotation of the traction wheels 15.

(17) The traction wheels 15 can be made of different materials, for example steel, aluminum or suchlike and possibly be coated with rubber or other polymeric material, according to the friction that is to be generated on the cable 11.

(18) Each idle wheel 16 is provided with its own actuator 21 and its own support 20 connected to the frame 14 of the traction module 12 by means of a rotation pin 24, so that the idle wheels 16 are mobile independently of each other.

(19) As can be observed, the traction wheels 15 are aligned on a lower part 25 of the traction module 12, while the idle wheels 16 are aligned on an upper part 26 of the traction module 12. The lower part 25 is the part of the traction module 12 facing the support structure 13 of the machine 10.

(20) In the embodiment shown by way of example, the traction module 12 comprises two pairs of traction wheels 15 and two pairs of idle wheels 16, substantially so that at least two idle wheels 16 and two traction wheels 15 are always engaged with the cable 11, even if the cable 11 has segments with different diameters disposed in sequence, for example a conductor segment and a joint.

(21) Preferably, the rotation speeds of the two pairs of traction wheels 15 will be suitably synchronized and coordinated so as to provide the same drawing speed to the cable 11.

(22) The actuators 21 of the idle wheels 16 can be hydraulic cylinders able to dampen impacts with the additional function of being able to maintain the pressure generated on the cable 11 constant, whatever the diameter or thickness of the cable 11.

(23) The frame 14 of the traction module 12 can be connected to the recovery machine 10, in particular to the support structure 13, by a hinge 30. The hinge 30 allows to vary the inclination of the traction module 12, with the aid of suitable drive means, such as for example at least a lifting or lowering actuator 31 or suchlike.

(24) Downstream of the traction module 12 the machine 10 comprises a cutting module 32, 39 see also FIG. 2, FIG. 3, FIG. 4, which is used to divide the cable 11 into segments of a given length, for the purpose of storage and subsequent disposal.

(25) The purpose of the cutting module 32, 39 is therefore to continuously cut the cable 11 exiting the traction module 12 and which is introduced into the cutting module 32, 39 in a direction of feed X1.

(26) The cutting module 32, 39, comprises a cutting unit 22, 40 provided with at least a cutting blade 23, 41. The cutting blade 23, 41 can be made preferably of a metal material, such as aluminum, steel or suchlike.

(27) The cutting unit 22, 40 is integral with a shaft 27, 44 made to rotate, for example in the direction R, by corresponding drive means 28, 42, such as a hydraulic, electric or other motor.

(28) By means of the rotation of the shaft 27, 44 the cutting unit 22, 40 is made to rotate and cuts the cable 11 when it enters the cutting module 32, 39 in the direction of feed X1.

(29) The cutting unit 22, 40 is substantially directed along an axis Y1, Y4 substantially transverse to the direction of feed X1 of the cable 11 inside the cutting module 32. The cutting blade 23, 41, in particular, is directed along the axis Y1, Y4.

(30) The cable 11 entering the cutting module 32, 39 can rest, for example, on a guide 46.

(31) In a geometric configuration shown in FIG. 2, the axis Y1 of the cutting unit 22, that is in particular the axis along which the cutting blade 23 is directed, is substantially parallel to the axis of rotation Y2 of the shaft 27, therefore the shaft 27 is also directed in a direction substantially transverse to the direction of feed X1 of the cable 11.

(32) The cutting module 32 comprises at least a pair of support disks 29 integral with the shaft 27 and between which the cutting unit 22 is positioned in a peripheral position. The cable 11 to be cut, substantially, is fed between the support disks 29 in the direction of feed X1.

(33) FIGS. 2 and 3 show only one cutting unit 22, but it could be provided that the cutting module 32 is provided with several cutting units 22, disposed on an annular path around the shaft 27, for example at regular intervals.

(34) In the embodiment of the cutting module 39 of FIG. 4, the axis of rotation Y3 of the shaft 44 and therefore of the cutting unit 40 is directed parallel to the direction of feed X1 of the cable 11. The axis Y4 of the cutting unit 40, that is the axis along which in particular the cutting blade 41 is directed, is substantially orthogonal to the axis of rotation Y3 of the shaft 44.

(35) The cutting unit 40 can comprise a support disk 43 integral with the shaft 44. One or more cutting blades 41 can be disposed around the support disk 43, positioned for example at regular intervals around the support disk 43. In FIG. 4, by way of example, only one cutting blade 41 is shown.

(36) This configuration of the cutting module 39 can be used in the machine 10 for reasons of space, for a different design of the overall layout of the machine 10, or other.

(37) The cutting module 32, 39 comprises a support structure 45 in which an aperture 47 is made, see the cutting module 39 of FIG. 4, from which the cut segments of cable can pass directly to discharge means, for example one or more conveyor belts. See for example in FIG. 1 the conveyor belt 38 located under the support structure 45 and upstream of another conveyor belt 35. The aperture 47 is therefore disposed below the cutting unit 22, 40 and above the conveyor belt 38.

(38) The present machine 10 can comprise a device 33 to guide and draw the cable 11, able to translate the cable 11 inside the cutting module 32 in the direction of feed X1.

(39) The machine 10 can also comprise a system 34 to align the cable 11 downstream of the traction module 12. The alignment system 34 can comprise for example a roller way, see for example the rollers 48 schematically shown in FIG. 2. At least one of these rollers 48 can be motorized to contribute to drawing the cable 11. The rollers 48 can have, for example, a flat or indented profile, to improve traction.

(40) The machine 10 is also equipped with an auxiliary winch 36 cooperating with the traction module 12.

(41) The auxiliary winch 36 is provided with a drum 37 able to be made to rotate by suitable drive means, for example an electric or hydraulic gearmotor, or suchlike, and around which a wire is wound. The auxiliary winch 36 will preferably have a maximum work load equivalent to the traction module 12. The diameter and the length of the wire loaded onto the auxiliary winch 36 will be aligned with the nominal performances of the machine 10.

(42) The functions of the auxiliary winch 36 are the following: at the beginning of the reconductoring operations, it attaches the cable 11 onto the support of the line of the laying plant and puts it between the traction wheels 15 and the idle wheels 16 of the traction module 12; it is possible to connect the wire of the auxiliary winch 36 to the cable 11 by means of a flexible joint, for example a braid-type joint, or a self-tightening vice, and release the cable 11 by the desired length since the draw of the line will be maintained by the auxiliary winch 36. Without the auxiliary winch 36 it would not be possible to carry out operations in which the cable 11 is released, since the latter, being cut, would exit the space defined between the idle wheels 16 and the traction wheels 15, causing the line still present on the poles of the laying plant to fall.

(43) As mentioned above, the machine in question can be transported by truck and can work both on trucks and also on the ground. In both cases the correct positioning on the ground and anchoring of the machine 10 or of the truck on which the machine 10 is positioned is required. This anchoring occurs through the use of straps, stabilizers and plates.

(44) Once positioning and anchoring are completed, the machine 10 can be adjusted in height so that, once the cable 11 has been cut by the cutting module 32, 39, the cable segments can be discharged into a suitable container by the discharge means 35, 38 or by gravity.

(45) Since the cable 11 on the support of the laying plant and the machine 10 will be at different heights, the next step is to adjust the inclination of the traction module 12, which must be aligned with the angle created between the cable on the line and the entry side 17 of the traction module 12, to prevent the cable 11 from being misaligned and the connection joints of cable segments from flexing upon entry into the traction module 12. This operation is performed by driving the dedicated actuator 31 which rotates the traction module 12 around the hinge 30.

(46) The next step is to make the cable 11 enter the traction module 12, in particular between the traction wheels 15 and the idle wheels 16. To do this, the machine 10 initially uses the auxiliary winch 36. It is possible, as seen, to connect the wire of the auxiliary winch 36 to the cable 11 on the support of the laying plant and start to draw the cable 11 from the support inside the traction module 12.

(47) The cable 11 can be attached to the wire of the drum 37 of the auxiliary winch 36 by, for example, using self-tightening vices or other draw recovery systems.

(48) The vice should preferably be placed at a distance from the beginning of the cable 11 suitable to create a length of “dead” cable that can then be inserted into the traction module 12.

(49) Once the front end of the cable 11 arrives between the traction wheels 15 and the idle wheels 16, these are closed thus retaining the load (weight) of the line, thanks to the actuators 21.

(50) The wire of the auxiliary winch 36 can then be disconnected from the cable 11 and recovered on the drum 37.

(51) The operations of recovering the cable 11 and subsequent cutting of the cable into segments can now begin.

(52) The load acting on the cable 11, that is the draw on the line, is generated and maintained by the pressure generated by the crushing of the cable 11 between the traction wheels 15 and the idle wheels 16, which are pressed onto the conductor generating the necessary friction force, thanks to the rotation of their supports 20 around the rotation pins 24 and the actuators 21.

(53) The recovery speed of the cable 11, on the other hand, is given by the speed of rotation of the traction wheels 15 located in the lower part 25 of the traction module 12. The traction wheels 15 are synchronized by pinions and transmission wheels, and all rotate at the same speed. Each pair of traction wheels 15 is equipped with its own gearmotor. The recovery speed is variable according to the load applied.

(54) Once the cable 11 has passed the traction module 12 it enters the cutting module 32, 39 in which it is cut into segments of cable by the cutting unit 22, 40. It is clear that it is possible to adjust the rotation speed of the rotation shaft 27, 44 of the cutting unit 22, 40 so as to adjust the interval of time that elapses between two successive passes of the cutting unit 22, 40 on the cable 11, which is translating in the direction of feed X1. As stated, it is also possible to provide more than one cutting unit 22, 40 on the cutting module 32, 39.

(55) The segments of cable 11, once cut, are discharged into a suitable container by gravity or by using the conveyor belt 35, cooperating for example with the conveyor belt 38.

(56) The work cycle of the machine 10 continues until all the old conductor on the line is recovered and cut.

(57) If during the work cycle there is a need to release a few meters of cable 11, the process is as follows: stop the rotation of the traction wheels 15 maintaining the pressure on the cable 11; drive the auxiliary winch 36; connect the wire present on the drum 37 with the branch of the cable 11 upstream of the machine 10 by means of a suitable vice or other draw recovery system; start drawing the drum 37 to take up the tension of the line; move the idle wheels 16 away from the traction wheels 15 of the traction module 12; release the cable 11 by means of the drum 37 and the wire to which it is now connected.

(58) To restart the recovery and cutting activities, it is necessary to proceed as described in the first step of the cycle.

(59) The machine 10 can have on board a power unit which consists of an endothermic diesel engine which will supply the number of revolutions and the torque necessary to drive the various actuators present on the system, that is, pumps, hydraulic motors, hydraulic cylinders, shears and other.

(60) It is clear that modifications and/or additions of parts may be made to the cable recovery machine as described heretofore, without departing from the field and scope of the present invention.

(61) It is also clear that, although the present invention has been described with reference to some specific examples, a person of skill in the art shall certainly be able to achieve many other equivalent forms of cable recovery machine, having the characteristics as set forth in the claims and hence all coming within the field of protection defined thereby.

(62) The foregoing description of the embodiments of the invention has been presented for the purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of this disclosure. It is intended that the scope of the invention be limited not by this detailed description, but rather by the claims appended hereto.

(63) In the following claims, the sole purpose of the references in brackets is to facilitate reading: they must not be considered as restrictive factors with regard to the field of protection claimed in the specific claims.