US3322378A

US3322378A - Tripod drill support

Info

Publication number: US3322378A
Application number: US425307A
Authority: US
Inventors: Charles T Thompson
Original assignee: Joy Manufacturing Co
Current assignee: Sullivan Machinery Co
Priority date: 1965-01-13
Filing date: 1965-01-13
Publication date: 1967-05-30
Anticipated expiration: 1984-05-30
Also published as: SE314043B; GB1101692A; FR1460497A; DE1608474B1

Description

May 30, 1967 Filed Jan. 15, 1965 c. THOMPSON 3,322,378

TRIPOD DRILL SUPPORT 2 Sheets-Sheet l O l I INVENTOR. CHARLES T. THOMPSON y 30, 1967 c. T. THOMPSON 3,322,378

TRIPOD DRILL SUPPORT 2 Shets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 13, 1965 Tat- INVENTOR. CHARLES T. THOMPSON BY M46 United States Brent fifice 3,322,378 Patented May 30, 1967 This invention relates to a drilling device and more particularly to an adjustable, mobile, tripod support for a rock drill or the like used for producing bores in earth strata.

In the field of earth boring it is well known to mount a drilling device on an upwardly extending derrick or tower supported by and rendered movable over a surface by a suitable crawler base.

Such devices have served the purpose but have not been entirely satisfactory because the attitude of the derrick with relation to the earths surface was, to a greater or lesser degree, dependent upon the positioning of the crawler carriage so that when the device arrived at the location where drilling was desired it was necessary to use leveling jacks or other devices to position the derrick in relation to the ground surface to bore a hole at the desired angle with relation to the horizontal. Some prior art devices made provisions for lowering the derrick while traversing rough terrain since, for instance, traversing a side hill with the derrick extending upwardly at a fixed angle to the crawler support could cause the derrick to overbalance the crawler support and cause it to be overturned with consequent damage and delay in operation.

The tripod mounting of the present invention provides for a derrick normally upwardly extending from a crawler support but universally pivotable with relation thereto so that when the crawler support arrives at the location Where boring is desired a simple adjustment of the angle between the crawler support and the derrick will produce the angular adjustment of the derrick to horizontal for the production of a bore hole at the desired angle to the horizontal with no necessity for leveling jacks or other devices to be applied to the crawler support to change its attitude with respect to the horizontal. Since the derrick is universally pivotally adjustable with respect to the crawler support a side hill traverse may be made with the derrick in a vertical position merely by adjusting the tripod support to keep the derrick substantially vertical regardless of the position assumed by the crawler support.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a new and improved drilling device.

It is another object of this invention to provide a new and improved tripod mounting for a drilling device which mounting renders the drilling device universally pivotally adjustable with relation to a crawler support.

It is a specific object of this invention to provide a new and improved tripod mounting for a drilling device wherein one of the tripod members is an upwardly extending longitudinal feedable boom mounted on a trunnion universally pivotably secured to a crawler device and adjustably supported by a pair of angularly disposed extensible cylinders provided with suitable controlled amounts of pressure fluid to adjust the angular relationship of the drilling device to the ground surface.

These and other objects and advantages of this invention will become more readily apparent upon consideration of the following description and drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a tripod mounting for a rock drill constructed according to the principles of this invention and including dot and dash line representations of fragmentary portions of the tripod mounting in various adjusted positions;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the tripod mounting of FIG. 1 also including dot and dash line representations of fragmentary portions of the device in various adjusted positions with respect to the solid line figure;

FIG. 3 is a partially sectional view taken substantially on line 3-3 of FIG. 1

FIG. 4 is a partially sectional view taken substantially on line 44 of FIG. 3; and

FIG. 5 is a plan view taken substantially on line 5-5 of FIG. 2.

In FIGS. 1 and 2 there is shown a drilling device 10 constructed according to the principles of this invention having a derrick or tower assembly 12 supported and rendered movable over a surface by a crawler support 14 of a type well known in the art.

The crawler support 14 has a main frame 16 pivotably connected to and supported by a pair of independently pivotable crawlers 18 as more particularly described and illustrated in copending application Ser. No. 346,500, filed Feb. 21, 1964 (now US. Patent No. 3,335,849), which application is assigned to the same assignee as is this application. The crawler support 14 is suitably powered by electric or fluid operated motors (not shown) in a manner well known in the art.

In the following description the front of the device will be taken as the portion to the left in FIG. 2 with a corresponding rearward direction to the right in FIG. 2 while the directions up and down will be determined in relation to a substantially horizontal surface 20 such as the surface of the earth upon which the crawlers rest.

A pair of laterally spaced generally horizontal, elongated, rectanuglar side members 22 of the main frame 16 extend forwardly and inwardly of the main frame 16 from a rearward portion thereof to a forward portion of the drilling device 10 and have portions upwardly and inwardly extending to form a support for the tower 12. The forward portions of the side members 22 have flat generally horizontal top end surfaces on which are removably mounted a pair of pillow block members 24 secured to the respective top surfaces of the upwardly and inwardly projecting portions of the side members 22 as by threaded retaining elements such as cap screws (not shown) and hav ing aligned bores 26 therethrough extending to rotatably receive and support coaxial cylindrical end portions 28 of a gimbal member 30. The gimbal member 30 comprises the aforementioned cylindrical end portions 28 and a formed intermediate portionseparating and rigidly securing the cylindrical end portions 28 and having a transverse bore 32 therethrough with an axis normal to the axis of the cylindrical end portions 28 for a purpose to be hereinafter described.

An elongated upwardly extending trunnion member 34 comprises an elongated square tubular member 36 and a pair of generally rectangular

flatplate mounting members

38 and 39, upper and lower respectively, rigidly secured in forwardly spaced relationship with the upper and lower ends of the tubular element 36, respectively, by a plurality of generally triangular gusset members 40 and a channel element 41 rigidly secured to the

mounting members

38 and 39, respectively, and the tubular element 36 as by welding. The lower mounting member 39 extends downwardly beyond the bottom end of the tubular element 36 and is aligned with and forwardly spaced from a similarly downwardly extending generally rectangular flat plate mounting element 42. The lower mounting member 39 and the mounting element 42 have aligned bores in their downwardly extending portions below the tubular element 36 and have captively secured therein a elongated cylindrical pin 43 extending through the bore 32 of the gimbal member 30, which pin 43 is rotatably received within the bore 32 so that the trunnion member 34 is universally pivotably secured to the frame 16 and the crawler support 14.

The trunnion member 34 is adjustably supported by a pair of fluid operated elongated extensible cylinders 4'7 and 49, right hand and left hand tower cylinders respectively, universally pivotably secured to rearward portions of the side members 22 at

points

44 and 45 respectively, transversely aligned on an axis normal to the longitudinal centerline of the frame 16 and equidistant from that centerline (see FIG. The

tower cylinders

47 and 49 are additionally universally pivotably secured to transversely spaced upper portions of the trunnion member 34 downwardly adjacent the upper end of member 34 to form two leg elements of the tripod support of this invention of which tripod the trunnion member 34 is the third leg.

An elongated drill guide frame 48 of a type well known in the art is slidably secured to the

mounting members

38 and 39 as by elongated clamp plates 50 rigidly removably secured to the

mounting members

38 and 39 as by threaded retaining members such as bolts and nuts (not shown). A fluid operated extensible cylinder 52 of which only the rod member is shown, is mounted within the tubular element 36 with the rod member upwardly emergent therefrom and pivotably secured to an upper rearward portion of the drill guide frame 48 so that suitable control of the pressure fluid supplied to the guide frame cylinder 52 causing the cylinder 52 to extend or contract controls longitudinal movement of the guide frame 48 with respect to the trunnion member 34 in a well known manner. On the forward face of the drill guide frame 48 there is mounted a suitable tool operating power means 54 for rotary or rotary percussive actuation of an elongated drill steel 56 secured to the actuating elements of the power means 54 and extending downwardly therefrom through a centralizer 58 and having a drilling element such as a drill bit 61) rigidly secured to the lower end thereof. The power means 54 is slideably or otherwise mounted on the guide frame 48 for longitudinal movement therealong to feed the drill bit 60 in the usual manner which movement is provided for by any well known means such as a feed motor 63 mounted on an intermediate portion of the guide frame 4-8. A conductor training and tensioning sheeve 62 is slideably or otherwise suitably mounted on the upper end portion of the guide frame 48 to guide and maintain tension in electrical conductors or fluid conducting flexible members which provide operating energy to the power means 54 and are connected thereto.

The

extensible cylinders

47, 49 and 52 are suitably provided with suitable amounts of pressure fluid from a source of such pressure fluid suitably controlled by valves (not shown) in a well known maner.

In FIG. 2 there is shown in dot and dash outline a mobile power unit 64 provided with power means such as an internal combustion engine and suitable generator, pumps and tanks to supply pressurized fluid or electric energy to the various components of the drilling device 10 and additionally connected thereto as by a tongue 65 for extended tramming of the drilling device 10 which provides motive force to the power unit 64 through operation of the crawlers 18 as is known. As a further aid to extensive tramming, retraction of the

tower cylinders

47 and 49 followed by retraction of the guide frame cylinder 52 will bring the tower 12 into the substantially horizontal position shown in dot dash outline and indicated as 12' in FIG. 2 to improve the stability of drilling device 10 and avoid constant adjustment and readjustment of the

cylinders

47 and 49 to keep the tower 12 substantially vertical while traversing uneven terrain. However, such lowering of the tower 12 to the position 12 will not be necessary in moving comparatively short distances as from one desired bore hole location to the next such location in a relatively confined area of operation.

The operation of the drilling device 10 includes tramming to the place of desired bore hole formation with the tower in the position 12 and thereafter extending guide frame cylinder 52 to slide the guide frame rearwardly along the trunnion member 34 and thereafter extending

tower cylinders

47 and 49 simultaneously to the extent necessary to bring the trunnion member 34 into upright position as shown in FIG. 2. After the upright position is achieved, suitable retraction of the guide frame cylinder 52 brings the guide frame into contact with the surface 20 to stabilize the device 10 during operation of the drill 60 in forming the desired bore hole. The actual drilling operation is a conventional one in which the power means 54 actuates the drill steel 56 and consequently the bit 60 in either rotary or rotary percussive action while simultaneously the feed motor 63 suitably connected to the power means 54 moves the power means 54 downwardly along the guide frame 48 in a manner well known in the art. The unique operation of the device 10 of this invention resides in the universal pivotable connection of the trunnion member 34 to the frame 16 by way of the gimbal member 39. When it is desired to drill a vertical hole at a side hill or otherwise sloping location simultaneous shortening of one of the

tower cylinders

47 or 49 and lengthening of the other of the tower cylinders can swing the top of the tower to the left or right as shown in the broken line fragmentary representations as shown in FIG. 1. If necessary, further simultaneous adjustment of the

tower cylinders

47 and 49 can be used to give a forward inclination of the tower 12 relative to the surface 2%) on which the crawler supports 14 rest as shown in dot dash outline and indicated as 12" in the left hand portion of FIG. 2. By opposite operation of the cylinders 47 and 49 a backward inclination of the tower 12 intermediate between the position shown solid in FIG. 2 and that shown substantially horizontal and indicated as 12 in dot and dash outline in FIG. 2 can be achieved. Thus it will be seen that a vertical hole can be drilled regardless of the inclination of the surface on which the crawler 14 happens to be situated or bore holes at various angles to the horizontal can be drilled if so desired.

When a bore hole has been completed and it is desired to move to a new location within a restricted area of operation suitable activation of guide frame cylinder 52 extends the rod end sufficiently to raise the guide frame 48 to a position such as that shown in FIG. 1 with the guide frame and drill bit upwardly spaced from the surface 20. If the tower 12 is already vertical activation of the crawler 14 can be started at once to move the drilling device 10 to the new location; however, since the inclination of the surface 20 to the horizontal will most probably change as the tramming continues more or less continuous adjustment of the

cylinders

47 and 49 can be used to maintain the vertical attitude of the tower 12 by adjustment both transversely and longitudinally of the path of travel so that there is no danger of overturning the device 10 due to the slanting of the surface 20 in either of these directions. This adjustment being power operated and remotely controlled as by valves mounted in some convenient place either on the device 10 itself or on the power unit 64 no interruption of the trannning will be necessary and lowering of the tower into the position 12' can be dispensed with. When the new location for a desired bore hole is reached a final adjustment of the

cylinders

47 and 49 will bring the tower 12 into desired attitude with respect to the horizontal and retraction of the guide frame cylinder 52 bringing the guide frame into contact with the earths surface is all that is necessary to prepare for drilling the next bore hole.

It is to be appreciated that use of the tripod mounting of applicants invention obviates the need for leveling jacks or other means of adjusting the attitude of the crawler 14 such as is commonly necessary in the operation of any tower type drilling apparatus of the prior art.

It is further to be appreciated that the ease and rapidity of adjustment of the attitude of the tower 12 results in time saving in achieving correct orientation of the drill with respect to the ground surface and furthermore avoids the danger of overturn common to structures as tall as this which are mobile.

It is to be further noted that although this invention has been described with relation to a particular embodi- Inent wherein a gimbal member having intersecting axes is employed that other means of accomplishing the universally pivotable connection between the trunnion member 34 and the main frame 16 are within the scope of applicants invention.

The preferred embodiment of applicants invention having herein been described and illustrated it is to be realized that other embodiments of applicants invention are within the scope of this invention. It is therefore respectfully requested that the claims appended hereto be interpreted as broadly as possible and be limited only by the prior art.

What is claimed is:

1. A tripod support for a drilling device comprising: a mobile support having an elongated generally horizontal frame; an elongated trunnion member having a bottom end thereof universally pivotably mounted on a forward portion of said frame and extending upwardly therefrom; a pair of extensible leg members having respective one ends universally pivotably secured to rearward portions of said frame transversely spaced from each other, other ends of said leg members being universally pivotably secured to said trunnion member at points upwardly spaced from said frame; an elongated guide frame means for slidably mounting said guide frame on said trunnion memher for longitudinal movement therealong.

2. A tripod support for a drilling device comprising: a generally horizontal frame; an elongated trunnion member having its lower end universally pivotably mounted on said frame at a given portion of said frame and extending up wardly therefrom; a pair of extensible leg members having respective one ends universally pivotably secured to portions of said frame spaced from each other and from said biven portion, other ends of said leg members being universally pivotably secured to said trunnion member at points upwardly spaced from said frame; an elongated guide frame; means for slidably mounting said guide frame on said trunnion member for longitudinal movement therealong; drill actuating first power means movably mounted on said guide frame for longitudinal movement along said guide frame; and second power means mounted on said guide frame for moving said first power means.

3. A tripod support as specified in claim ll wherein said points upwardly spaced from said frame are located on the upper portion of said portion of said trunnion memher.

4. A tripod support as specified in claim 1 wherein said guide frame is at least twice as long as said trunnion member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,747,869 2/1930 Hansen 24 8--13 X 2,044,880 6/1936 Grove et a1 17343 2,661,189 12/1953 Gillerstrom 17343 3,045,771 7/1962 Curtis 173-22 X 3,117,756 1/1964 Wensing et al 248-16 CHANCELLOR E. HARRIS, Primary Examiner, JOHN PE'FO, Examiner,

Claims

1. A TRIPOD SUPPORT FOR A DRILLING DEVICE COMPRISING: A MOBILE SUPPORT HAVING AN ELONGATED GENERALLY HORIZONTAL FRAME; AN ELONGATED TRUNNION MEMBER HAVING A BOTTOM END THEREOF UNIVERSALLY PIVOTABLY MOUNTED ON A FORWARD PORTION OF SAID FRAME AND EXTENDING UPWARDLY THEREFROM; A PAIR OF EXTENSIBLE LEG MEMBERS HAVING RESPECTIVE ONE ENDS UNIVERSALLY PIVOTABLY SECURED TO REARWARD PORTIONS OF SAID FRAME TRANSVERSELY SPACED FROM EACH OTHER, OTHER ENDS OF SAID LEG MEMBERS BEING UNIVERSALLY PIVOTABLY SECURED TO SAID TRUNNION MEMBER AT POINTS UPWARDLY SPACED FROM SAID FRAME; AN ELONGATED GUIDE FRAME MEANS FOR SLIDABLY MOUNTING SAID GUIDE FRAME ON SAID TRUNNION MEMBER FOR LONGITUDINAL MOVEMENT THEREALONG.