Carriage for a displacement hammer for positioning the displacement hammer in a launch pit, drilling system with a displacement hammer and a carriage for positioning the displacement hammer in a launch pit and a method for positioning a displacement hammer in a launch pit

Abstract

A framework for a displacement hammer is configured for positioning the displacement hammer in a launch pit. The framework has two holding fixtures, each holding fixture having a clamp. The clamps and the holding fixtures can be moved independently from each other.

Claims

1-12. (canceled)

13. A carriage for positioning a displacement hammer in a launch pit comprising: a first frame member configured to be disposed above the launch pit and extend into the launch pit; a second frame member configured to be disposed above the launch pit and extend into the launch pit; a first holding fixture configured to be movably mounted on said first frame member, said first holding fixture including a first clamp; a second holding fixture configured to be movably mounted on said second frame member, said second holding fixture including a second clamp; wherein the displacement hammer is configured to be detachably held by the first clamp of the first holding fixture and the second clamp of the second holding fixture; and wherein each of the first holding fixture, the second holding fixture, the first clamp, and the second clamp is independently movable to adjust a position of the displacement hammer.

14. The carriage of claim 13, wherein at least one of the first holding fixture and the second holding fixture is mounted on the first frame member or second frame member by a freely swiveling joint.

15. The carriage of claim 13, wherein the first frame member comprises a first track and the second frame member comprises a second track, wherein said first holding fixture being movably mounted in the first frame member comprises the first holding fixture being mounted to move along a first predetermined path defined by the first track; and wherein the second holding fixture being movably mounted in the second frame member comprises the second holding fixture being mounted to move along a second predetermined path defined by the second track.

16. The carriage of claim 13, wherein one or both of the first clamp and the second clamp at least partially surrounds the displacement hammer.

17. The carriage of claim 13, wherein one or both of the first clamp and the second clamp comprises a rigid outer wall and a flexible inner wall which are configured to form a pressure chamber, wherein said flexible inner wall is configured to clamp the displacement hammer when pressure is applied to the pressure chamber.

18. The carriage of claim 13, wherein each of the first clamp and the second clamp is configured to operate in more than two positions.

19. The carriage of claim 18, wherein the more than two positions comprises an open clamp position for one of insertion and release of the displacement hammer, a full immobilization clamp position for immobilized clamping of the displacement hammer, and an adjustable clamp position in which friction is applied to the displacement hammer while movement of the clamp on the displacement hammer is permitted to adjust a location of the clamp on the displacement hammer.

20. The carriage of claim 15, further comprising: at least one of a first fixture drive configured to move the first holding fixture in the first track and a second fixture drive configured to move the second holding fixture in the second track; and a control system configured to actuate one or both of the first fixture drive and the second fixture drive to move one or both of the first holding fixture and the second holding fixture.

21. The carriage of claim 20, further comprising: at least one of a first clamp drive for setting a first clamp position and a second clamp drive for setting a second clamp position; wherein the control system is further configured to actuate one or both of the first clamp drive and the second clamp drive to set the first clamp position and the second clamp position.

22. The carriage of claim 21, further comprising: at least one sensor disposed on the carriage to sense (i) a movement of one or both of the first holding fixture and the second holding fixture and (ii) operation of one or both of the first clamp and the second clamp; wherein the control system comprises an automatic control system configured to actuate the first fixture drive and the second fixture drive and to operate the first clamp drive and the second clamp drive based on movement data and operation data sensed by the at least one sensor.

23. A method for positioning a displacement hammer in a launch pit comprising: installing framework above the launch pit and extending into the launch pit, said framework including a first frame member and a second frame member; movably mounting a first holding fixture on said first frame member, said first holding fixture including a first clamp, said first holding fixture and said first clamp capable of independent movement; movably mounting a second holding fixture on said second frame member, said second holding fixture including a second clamp, said second holding fixture and said second clamp capable of independent movement; clamping the displacement hammer with one or both of the first clamp of the first holding fixture and the second clamp of the second holding fixture; and independently operating one or more of the first holding fixture, the second holding fixture, the first clamp, and the second clamp to adjust a position of the displacement hammer in the launch pit.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein clamping the displacement hammer with one or both of the first clamp of the first holding fixture and the second clamp of the second holding fixture comprises clamping the displacement hammer with only one of the first clamp and the second clamp; and further comprising moving the corresponding one of the first holding fixture and the second fixture to position the displacement hammer.

25. The method of claim 23, wherein clamping the displacement hammer with one or both of the first clamp of the first holding fixture and the second clamp of the second holding fixture comprises clamping the displacement hammer with only one of the first clamp and the second clamp such that the one of the first clamp and the second clamp applies friction to the displacement hammer but permits movement of the clamp on the displacement hammer to adjust a location of the clamp on the displacement hammer.

26. The method of claim 23, wherein the first frame member comprises a first track and the second frame member comprises a second track; wherein movably mounting said first holding fixture in the first frame member comprises movably mounting the first holding fixture in the first track to move along a first predetermined path defined by the first track; and wherein movably mounting said second holding fixture in the second frame member comprises movably mounting the second holding fixture in the second track to move along a second predetermined path defined by the second track.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein independently operating one or more of the first holding fixture, the second holding fixture, the first clamp, and the second clamp to adjust the position of the displacement hammer in the launch pit comprises: independently actuating, by a control system, one or more drives corresponding to the one or more of the first holding fixture, the second holding fixture, the first clamp, and the second clamp to adjust the position of the displacement hammer.

28. A drilling system comprising: a displacement hammer; frame work comprising a first frame member and a second frame member configured to be disposed above a launch pit and extend into the launch pit; a first holding fixture configured to be movably mounted on said first frame member, said first holding fixture including a first clamp; a second holding fixture configured to be movably mounted on said second frame member, said second holding fixture including a second clamp; wherein the displacement hammer is configured to be detachably held by the first clamp of the first holding fixture and the second clamp of the second holding fixture; and wherein each of the first holding fixture, the second holding fixture, the first clamp, and the second clamp is independently movable to adjust a position of the displacement hammer.

29. The drilling system of claim 28, further comprising: a base member configured to be placed on soil around or in the launch pit; a support member configured to be disposed on the framework and the base member; wherein the support member is movable with respect to the base member to adjust a destination direction of the displacement hammer.

30. The drilling system of claim 29, wherein wherein the base member comprises a mounting flange and the support member comprises a counterflange; and wherein the counterflange is configured to be clamped to the flange.

31. The drilling system of claim 30, wherein the framework is configured to be adjusted in height within the launch pit when the counterflange is clamped to the flange, including adjustment so that a bottom end of the framework does not contact a bottom of the launch pit.

32. The drilling system of claim 31, wherein the first frame member comprises a first track and the second frame member comprises a second track; and further comprising: at least one of a first fixture drive configured to move the first holding fixture in the first track and a second fixture drive configured to move the second holding fixture in the second track; and a control system configured to actuate one or both of the first fixture drive and the second fixture drive to move one or both of the first holding fixture and the second holding fixture.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] The invention will now be explained in further detail by way of an embodiment shown in the drawings.

[0029] FIG. 1 shows a carriage for a displacement hammer in a state where the displacement hammer is attached to the carriage above the soil surface.

[0030] FIG. 2 shows the carriage of FIG. 1 with attached displacement hammer, wherein said displacement hammer has been swiveled into an inclined position.

[0031] FIG. 3 shows the carriage with attached displacement hammer, where the displacement hammer has been moved below the soil surface in the inclined position of FIG. 2.

[0032] FIG. 4 shows the start of ground drilling by the displacement hammer, where the displacement hammer is essentially horizontally oriented.

[0033] FIG. 5a shows a holding fixture with clamping means in partial section.

[0034] FIG. 5b shows the holding fixture with the clamping means of FIG. 5a in isometric representation.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0035] FIG. 1 depicts in partial cross-section a launch pit 1 that has been excavated from the soil 2. A base 3 is placed at the edge of the launch pit and is braced against the edge of the soil 2. The base 3 is designed as mounting flange, and the bracing of the mounting flange against the soil 2 is carried out by means of a turnbuckle with ratchet. A support 4 of a carriage 5 is placed onto the base 3. Following this, the destination direction, that is, the orientation of holding fixtures 6, 7 of the carriage 5, is adjusted in that the support 4 is rotated with respect to the base 3 and the holding fixtures 6, 7 are rotated with it. The carriage 5 is then locked with clamping brackets to base 3 and is thus fixed in the direction of the destination direction. The carriage 5 is then adjusted in height. On support 4, the carriage 5 is moved vertically via four slots/slot nuts that are distributed over the circumference in vertical direction, and then locked.

[0036] The displacement hammer 8 is inserted into the holding fixtures 6, 7. To achieve that, the holding fixtures 6, 7 are fitted with clamping means 9 in an open position, depicted in FIGS. 5a and 5b. Thus, the displacement hammer 8 may be inserted into the carriage 5 and into the holding fixtures 6, 7, respectively, above the ground surface, that is, above the soil level 2.

[0037] It is also possible to adjust the destination direction after inserting the displacement hammer 8 into the holding fixtures 6, 7. The displacement hammer 8 may be clamped into clamping means on the holding fixtures 6, 7.

[0038] A final adjustment of the destination direction is possible at any time, in particular after the displacement hammer 8 has at least partially penetrated the soil 2 at installation depth.

[0039] In order to position the displacement hammer 8 in the launch pit 1, the clamping means 9 of the front holding fixture 6 is activated and the displacement hammer 8 is clamped into the holding fixture 6. With the displacement hammer 8 clamped in that way, the front holding fixture 6 is lowered via a first track 10 until an angle α1 is reached with respect to an imaginary reference line, which is essentially the horizontal. The angle α1 may in particular be chosen such that the displacement hammer 8 can be guided through the framework 12, despite the fact that the length of the displacement hammer 8 is greater than the internal diameter of the framework 12. The result is the position of the displacement hammer 8 depicted in FIG. 2.

[0040] Between the positions of the displacement hammer 8, shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the holding fixtures 6, 7 are lowered whilst retaining the angle α1 to a point where the extension of the center line of the displacement hammer 8 reaches the penetration point for the displacement hammer 8 into the soil 2. The clamping means 9 of the front holding fixture 6 is released and the clamping means 9 of the rear holding fixture 7 is engaged so that a frictional connection to the mantle of the displacement hammer 8 is established. The mantle friction can prevent the reverse movement of the displacement hammer 8 in operation due to reactionary forces.

[0041] The displacement hammer 8 can now be started. The rear holding fixture 7 can now be lowered via a second track 11 so that the inclination angle changes continually. The inclination angle may change continually until the inclination angle for the borehole is reached. During the changing of the inclination angle, the front holding fixture 6 can be tracked in such a way that the tip of the displacement hammer 8 traces an approximate arc as it enters the soil 2, and the last inclination angle may be smaller, larger or equal to zero degrees relative to the horizontal. It is also possible to employ removal by suction. This may be achieved through a suction excavator, wherein the suction causes underwashing in the lower section of the launch pit 1. In the instance that removal by suction is employed, it is possible to first adjust the inclination of the displacement hammer 8 to the intended drilling angle and only then to start it. If the underwashing at installation depth has been completed, the exact destination direction adjustment and/or the inclination adjustment may also take place after the displacement hammer 8 has been lowered through the framework 12.

[0042] As soon as the displacement hammer 8 has reached the inclination angle ready for drilling, the displacement hammer 8, with adjusted azimuth and inclination angle, may be driven forward to a target pit. The clamping means 9 of the holding fixtures 6, 7 may be released as soon as the displacement hammer 8 has sufficient mantle friction in the soil 2, through which the displacement hammer 8 is now moving. It is possible that a pipe or a cable is pulled in from the launch pit 1 to a target pit using the displacement hammer 8.

[0043] A control system 13 is provided to drive or move respectively the holding fixtures 6, 7 in the tracks 10, 11.

[0044] As soon as the drilling is complete, the retrieval of the displacement hammer 8 may take place in reverse order of the steps described for positioning of the displacement hammer 8 prior to starting the displacement hammer. When driving the displacement hammer 8 back from the target pit to the launch pit 1, it may take with it a pipe or cable that needs to be installed, so that said pipe is pulled into the complete borehole with or without further expansion of the borehole.

[0045] FIG. 5a depicts a holding fixture 6, 7 with a clamping means 9 in partial section. The clamping means 9 comprises a pressure chamber 23, which is located between a rigid wall 20 and an elastic jacket 22. A pressure means, in particular compressed air, may be supplied to the pressure chamber 23 via an opening 21 in the rigid wall 20. When pressure is applied to the pressure chamber 23, the elastic jacket 22 is able to expand towards the center of the rigid wall 20. A displacement hammer 8 that is arranged inside it transverse to the clamping means 9, that is, perpendicular to the paper plane, is at least partially clamped around the circumference of the displacement hammer.

[0046] FIG. 5b depicts the holding fixture 6, 7 with the clamping means 9 in isometric view.