Cutting apparatus and method of operating

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10352166-B2
Application number	US-201515516642-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 2, 2015
Priority date	Oct 6, 2014
Publication date	Jul 16, 2019
Grant date	Jul 16, 2019

Abstract

A cutting apparatus suitable for creating tunnels and subterranean roadways includes independently pivoting supports that each carry a respective, independently pivoting arm and a rotatable cutting head. Each cutting head, via the supports and arms, is configured to slew laterally outward in a sideways direction and to pivot in a vertical upward and downward direction. The supports and arms are mounted on a linear moving sled carried by a main frame.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A cutting apparatus suitable for creating tunnels or subterranean roadways and the like comprising:
a main frame having a front end and a back end and a plurality of regions facing in a first direction, a second direction opposite to the first direction and a third direction perpendicular to the first and second direction and to a lengthwise direction;
a first and a second arm each pivotally mounted via a respective arm pivot axis aligned in a direction extending transverse including perpendicular to the first and second direction to enable the first and second arms to pivot independently of one another in the first and second direction;
at least one first and second arm actuator to actuate independently pivoting movement of the first and second arms relative to the main frame; and
a rotatable cutting head mounted at each of the first and second arms, wherein each of the rotatable cutting heads is rotatable about a respective head axis orientated to extend substantially transverse to each respective arm pivot axis, the head axis being offset by a predetermined offset amount from a plane defined by the arm pivot axis and a line parallel to the head axis, and wherein the head axis is offset towards a forward cutting direction of the apparatus relative to the main frame with the arm being positioned in the second direction.

2. The cutting apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a first and second support pivotally mounted relative to the main frame via respective first and second support axes aligned generally along the first and second direction such that each first and second support is configured to pivot laterally in the third direction; and
at least one first and second support actuator to respectively actuate independently movement of each of the first and second supports relative to the main frame, wherein the first and second arms are mounted to enable the first and second arms to pivot relative to each of the respective first and second supports, and wherein the at least one first and second arm actuator is arranged to actuate independently pivoting movement of the first and second arms relative to each of the respective first and second support.

3. The cutting apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a powered sled movably mounted at the main frame and configured to slide in the forward cutting direction, wherein the first and second arms are pivotally mounted to the sled and the rotatable cutting head is configured to be moved in the first and second direction and advanced in the forward cutting direction.

4. The cutting apparatus according to claim 3 , wherein each first and second arm together with the respective pivot arm axes is respectively mounted to the sled via a first and second support that is movably mounted relative to the sled via a common or respective device such that each first and second support is configured to move laterally in the third direction.

5. The cutting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein each cutting head includes a generally annular cutting edge to provide an undercutting mode of operation.

6. The cutting apparatus according to claim 5 , further comprising a plurality of roller cutters independently rotatably mounted at each rotatable cutting head.

7. The cutting apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the plurality of roller cutters are generally annular roller cutters each having a generally annular cutting edge to provide an undercutting mode of operation.

8. The cutting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein the cutting apparatus is arranged for a sump-in-position in which each rotatable cutting head is tilted in the forward cutting direction by a sump-in-angle with respect to a rock face for sump-in.

9. The cutting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein each rotatable cutting head includes a plurality of roller cutters, wherein cutter axes of the roller cutters are inclined in an inward direction opposite the forward cutting direction so that an angle of attack of a cutting roller cutter is smaller than an angle between a plane defined by a respective cutting head and rock to be cut.

10. The cutting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein each of the rotatable cutting heads mounted to the first and second arms is rotatable about a respective head axis orientated to extend substantially transverse to each respective arm pivot axis, the head axis being inclined with respect to a plane perpendicular to the arm pivot axis of the arm.

11. The cutting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein each rotatable cutting head includes a plurality of roller cutters arranged such that cutting edges of the roller cutters follow a common cutting path.

12. The cutting apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein each rotatable cutting head includes a plurality of spaced, adjacent roller cutters and wherein between adjacent roller cutters of each rotatable cutting head, respectively, at least one of, a scraper element and a separation element is provided, and wherein the scraper element is arranged to remove cut material from a cutting path and wherein the separation element provides a closed circumference of the cutter head.

13. The cutting apparatus according to claim 1 , each cutting head further comprising a plurality of spray nozzles arranged for spraying a liquid towards a cutting path of the cutting head.

14. A method of operating a cutting apparatus for creating tunnels or subterranean roadways and the like, comprising the steps of:
providing a cutting apparatus, the cutting apparatus including a main frame having a front end and a back end and a plurality of regions generally facing in a first direction, a second direction opposite to the first direction and a third direction perpendicular to the first and second direction and to a lengthwise direction, a first and a second arm each pivotally mounted via a respective arm pivot axis aligned in a direction extending transverse including perpendicular to a first and second direction to enable the first and second arms to pivot independently of one another in the first and second directions, at least one first and second arm actuator to actuate independently pivoting movement of the first and second arms relative to the main frame, and a rotatable cutting head mounted at each of the first and second arms, wherein each of the rotatable cutting heads is rotatable about a respective head axis orientated to extend substantially transverse to each respective arm pivot axis, the head axis being offset by a predetermined offset amount from a plane defined by the arm pivot axis and a line parallel to the head axis, and wherein the head axis is offset towards a forward cutting direction of the apparatus relative to the main frame with the arm being positioned in the second direction;
a positioning step of pivoting the first and second arm in the second direction such that each cutting head is tilted forward by a sump-in-angle with respect to a sump-in plane with a forwardmost edge towards the forward cutting direction of the cutting head being further in the second direction than its rearwardmost edge opposite the forward cutting direction; and
a cutting step including pivoting the first arm and pivoting the second arm while rotating the cutting head and engaging the rotating cutting head into a rock face.

Assignees

• Sandvik Intellectual Property

Inventors

• Ebner Bernhard
• Kargl Hubert

Classifications

• E21D23/08

  Advancing mechanisms (E21D23/16 takes precedence) · CPC title

• E21D9/1013 Primary

  on a tool-carrier supported by a movable boom · CPC title

• E21D9/126

  Loading devices or installations (loading platforms E21D9/122; soil-shifting machines E02F3/00) · CPC title

• E21D9/1026

  the tool-carrier being rotated about a transverse axis · CPC title

• E21D9/1086

  Drives or transmissions specially adapted therefor · CPC title