Earth auger and pole machine, and pole installation method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016298355-A1
Application number	US-201615094910-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 8, 2016
Priority date	Apr 9, 2015
Publication date	Oct 13, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

Described herein is an earth auger and pole machine for automated installation of poles in earth banks of access roads to open-pit mines. The earth auger and pole machine is fitted with a mechanic boom comprised of a first link and a second link. The first link has an end attached to a base fixed to a conveyor vehicle, and the other end coupled to the second link. The second link comprises a magazine for loading the poles, an auger system to drill the ground, and an installer to place the poles into the hole. This document also describes a method for installing poles in sequence by using the earth auger and pole machine.

First claim

1 . An earth auger and pole machine having a mechanical arm coupled to a transportation vehicle, comprising:
an auger system arranged on the longitudinal side of the mechanical arm; a magazine connected to the longitudinal side of the mechanical arm and arranged in parallel to the auger system; and an installer arranged on the flat side of the magazine.

2 . The earth auger and pole machine of claim 1 , configured to install poles on the upper side of earth banks of open pit mines.

3 . The earth auger and pole machine of claim 1 , wherein the mechanical arm is provided with moving joints set to support and move it.

4 . The earth auger and pole machine of claim 3 , wherein the mechanical arm comprises at least eight degrees of freedom.

5 . The earth auger and pole machine of claim 3 , wherein the mechanical arm comprises a first link and a second link.

6 . The earth auger and pole machine of claim 5 , a base coupling between the first link of the mechanical arm and the transportation vehicle.

7 . The earth auger and pole machine of claim 5 , wherein the auger system, the magazine and the installer are arranged on the second link of the mechanical arm.

8 . The earth auger and pole machine of claim 1 , wherein the magazine comprises slots set to store one or more poles.

9 . The earth auger and pole machine of claim 8 , wherein the magazine is able to perform a rotational movement of the slots.

10 . The earth auger and pole machine of claim 1 , further comprising a moving joint to connect the magazine connection with a link of the mechanical arm.

11 . The earth auger and pole machine of claim 1 , that wherein the auger system comprises a support and an auger set to drill holes in the ground.

12 . The earth auger and pole machine of claim 11 , wherein the support is set to perform a linear movement along a rail arranged in the longitudinal side of a link of the mechanical arm.

13 . The earth auger and pole machine of claim 1 , wherein the installer comprises a piston set to force the pole disposed in one of the slots against the ground.

14 . The earth auger and pole machine of claim 1 , further comprising a drive that is both hydraulic and pneumatic.

15 . The earth auger and pole machine of claim 14 , wherein the power which feeds the earth auger and pole machine is obtained from a compressor and [an] a power socket of the vehicle.

16 . The earth auger and pole machine of claim 1 , wherein the transportation vehicle is a road truck.

17 . The earth auger and pole machine of claim 16 , wherein the base is coupled to the truck body.

18 . The earth auger and pole machine of claim 1 , further comprising a command control.

19 . The earth auger and pole machine of claim 18 , wherein the control command is set to control the mechanical arm, the auger system, the installer and the magazine.

20 . A method for pole installation using the earth auger and pole machine of claim 1 , comprising:
i. loading the poles in the magazine; ii. moving the earth auger and pole machine to the installation location by the transportation vehicle; iii. unfolding the mechanical arm; iv. placing a second link of the mechanical arm on the desired installation location; v. activating the auger system for perforating the hole in the ground; vi. placing the pole over the hole; vii. activating the installer for insertion of the pole in the hole; viii. performing the opening movement of the magazine; ix. activating the magazine for performing the rotational movement of the slots; x. moving the earth auger and pole machine to the next installation location by the transportation vehicle; xi. repeating steps iii, iv, v, vi, vii, viii, ix and x until the poles contained in the magazine are ran out; xii. returning to step i.

21 . The method for pole installation of claim 20 , wherein steps iii, iv, v, vi, vii, viii and ix are performed by the command control.

Assignees

• Vale Sa

Inventors

• CARLOS DE ALVARENGA Sebastião
• Vitalino Magno Papa
• DE SOUZA Airton
• Caldeira Pereira Áquila Capele

Classifications

• E21B7/005

  with helical conveying means (E21B7/201 takes precedence; augers E21B10/44; drilling rods or pipes with helical structure E21B17/22) · CPC title

• E04H12/347 Primary

  Arrangements for setting poles in the ground · CPC title

• E04H17/22

  Anchoring means therefor, e.g. specially-shaped parts entering the ground; Struts or the like · CPC title

• E02F5/20

  for vertical holes · CPC title

• E21B7/027

  Drills for drilling shallow holes, e.g. for taking soil samples or for drilling postholes · CPC title