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EP-4737647-A1 - EXCAVATION MACHINE FOR MAKING EXCAVATIONS FOR CREATING DIAPHRAGM WALLS

EP4737647A1EP 4737647 A1EP4737647 A1EP 4737647A1EP-4737647-A1

Abstract

Excavation machine (1) for making excavations for creating diaphragm walls, comprising: - a base machine (2) comprising: - a truck (4); - a turret (5) rotating with respect to the truck (4) ; - at least one winder for at least one service line, positioned on the turret (5); - an arm (6, 36) hinged to the turret (5) at a base end of the arm (6, 36) so as to be rotatable and inclinable with respect to the turret (5), said arm (6, 36) supporting a plurality of head pulleys (19, 25, 29, 30) at a head end opposite to the base end; - an excavation tool (3) hanging from the arm (6, 36) and supported by at least one flexible suspension element (7) windable and unwindable on a winding/unwinding assembly (8) associated with the base machine (2); wherein the winding/unwinding assembly (8) comprises two drums (8A, 8B) coaxial with each other, from each of which a respective branch of the at least one flexible suspension element (7) originates, where each branch originates from the respective drum (8A, 8B), passes over at least one respective pulley (19, 25) of the head pulleys (19, 25, 29, 30), and is connected to the excavation tool (3).

Inventors

  • TIEZZI, Paolo
  • Vicchi, Corrado

Assignees

  • SOILMEC S.P.A.

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20251030

Claims (18)

  1. Excavation machine (1) for making excavations for creating diaphragm walls, comprising: - a base machine (2) comprising: - a truck (4); - a turret (5) rotating with respect to the truck (4); - at least one winder for at least one service line positioned on the turret (5); - an arm (6, 36) hinged to the turret (5) at a base end of said arm (6, 36) so as to be rotatable and inclinable with respect to said turret (5), said arm (6, 36) supporting a plurality of head pulleys (19, 25, 29, 30) at a head end opposite to the base end; - an excavation tool (3) hanging from said arm (6, 36) and supported by at least one flexible suspension element (7) windable and unwindable on a winding/unwinding assembly (8) associated with said base machine (2); where said winding/unwinding assembly (8) comprises two drums (8A, 8B) coaxial with each other, from each of which a respective branch of said at least one flexible suspension element (7) originates, where each of said branches originates from said respective drum (8A, 8B), passes over at least one respective pulley (19, 25) of said head pulleys (19, 25, 29, 30), and is connected to said excavation tool (3).
  2. Excavation machine (1) according to claim 1, wherein said winding/unwinding assembly (8) comprises a winch comprising in turn said two drums (8A, 8B), said drums (8A, 8B) being connected so as to be integral to each other and being drivable by the same motor.
  3. Excavation machine (1) according to claim 1, wherein said winding/unwinding assembly (8) comprises two winches (8), each of which comprises a respective drum of said two drums (8A, 8B), said drums (8A, 8B) being drivable by respective motors so that said drums are synchronized to rotate at the same speed and exert the same force on the flexible suspension element.
  4. Excavation machine (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein said winding/unwinding assembly (8) is fixed on said arm (6, 36).
  5. Excavation machine (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, comprising at least one winder (17) on which at least one power line of said excavation tool (3) is wound, wherein said at least one winder (17) is positioned on the turret (5) substantially aligned with the arm (6, 36), the mid-plane of said at least one winder (17), perpendicular to its rotation axis, being substantially coplanar with the longitudinal mid-plane of the arm.
  6. Excavation machine (1) according to claim 5, comprising at least one further winder (13) on which a mud tube (15) is wound, wherein said further winder (13) is positioned alongside said at least one winder (17) on which said power line is wound and is inclined with respect to said arm (6, 36), the mid-plane of said further winder (13), perpendicular to its rotation axis, forming a not-zero angle with the longitudinal mid-plane of the arm (6, 36).
  7. Excavation machine (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein said turret (5) comprises a turret frame (10) having a base portion (45) provided with first hooking elements (37, 40) arranged to be releasably constrained to a first kinematic linkage (6, 23) comprising a first arm (6) for compact machines and second hooking elements (37, 38, 39) configured to be releasably constrained to a second kinematic linkage (36, 32, 33, 31) comprising a second arm (36) for low-clearance machines.
  8. Excavation machine (1) according to claim 7, wherein said first hooking elements (37, 40) comprise first attachments (37) to releasably constrain the first arm (6), said first attachments (37) being disposed at an end of said turret (5), said second hooking elements (37, 38, 39) comprising second attachments (38) to releasably constrain the second arm (36), said second attachments (38) being disposed in a back position with respect to said first attachments (37).
  9. Excavation machine (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, comprising a power lock (18) of said excavation tool (3), wherein said turret frame (10) and said power lock (18) are provided with respective coupling elements arranged to constrain the power lock (18) to the turret frame (10) in a first operating position and/or in a second operating position.
  10. Excavation machine (1) according to claim 9, wherein said first operating position is defined at the rear end portion of said base machine (2), said rear end portion being the portion opposite to that towards which said arm (6, 36) extends, and said second operating position is defined at a side end portion of said base machine (2).
  11. Excavation machine (1) according to one or more of claims 1 to 8, comprising a power lock (18) of said excavation tool (3) adapted to be positioned on the ground near said base machine (2) and electrically and hydraulically connected to the turret (5).
  12. Excavation machine (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein said head end of said arm (6, 36) is connected to a prolongation element (47) at the free end of which there is a support element (48) for said at least one flexible suspension element (7).
  13. Excavation machine (1) according to claim 12, wherein said support element (48) comprises an intermediate sheave (27), each of said branches of said flexible suspension element (7) passing over said intermediate sheave (27) after the head pulleys (19, 25, 29, 30).
  14. Excavation machine (1) according to claim 13, wherein said at least one flexible suspension element (7) is only one and has a detachable section (7") intended to be disposed around said intermediate sheave (27).
  15. Excavation machine (1) according to one or more of claims 1 to 12, comprising two of said flexible suspension elements (7, 7'), each of said flexible suspension elements (7, 7') being windable and unwindable on a respective drum.
  16. Excavation machine (1) according to claim 15, wherein each of said flexible suspension elements (7, 7') has one end constrained to a respective drum (8A, 8B) and the opposite end constrained to a balance arm (49) the support element (48) is provided with.
  17. Excavation machine (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, comprising two blocks (26, 28) connected to said excavation tool (3), where said blocks (26, 28) make the connection between each of said branches of said flexible suspension element (7, 7') and said excavation tool (3).
  18. Excavation machine according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein said excavation tool (3) is a bucket comprising a frame to which valves acting as excavation means are fixed.

Description

The present invention refers to an excavation machine for making excavations in the ground for creating diaphragm walls, particularly but not exclusively adapted to be used in urban environments. "Diaphragm walls" mean to indicate temporary or permanent underground walls, which are made to contain or reinforce grounds during the construction of building foundations, such as buildings, bridges, and so on. In order to make the diaphragm walls, excavation machines are generally used, provided with excavation heads such as for example the hydraulic bucket, the rope-operated bucket, the hydro-mill, and so on. Such excavation heads are generally moved, or at least hold during normal operation of the machine, by a bearing rope, which is wound and unwound around the drum of a motorized winch. An example of a known excavation machine for making excavations in the ground for creating diaphragm walls is shown in figure 1. In such figure 1, the excavation machine is overall indicated by reference number 100. The excavation machine 100 is mainly dividable into a base machine 102 and an excavation tool 103 supported by the base machine 102. The base machine 102 generally comprises a tracked truck 104, a turret 105 rotating with respect to the tracked truck 104, and an arm 106, usually inclinable and hinged to the turret 105, where an excavation tool 103 is supported by the arm 106. Said arm 106 supports the excavation tool 103 through a flexible suspension element 107, for example a rope, which is windable and unwindable through a winch 108. In particular, the flexible suspension element 107, originating from the winch 108, is redirected to head pulleys 119 (referred to as lead sheaves) and then connected to the excavation tool 103. The head pulleys 119 are positioned at the end of the arm opposite to that hinged to the turret 105, therefore referred to as the head of the arm. The turret 105 comprises a turret frame 110, which has a structural function and is connected to the truck 104 through a slewing ring 111 which has a vertical rotation axis 120 around which the entire turret 105 rotates. The turret frame 110, in its front part, comprises hinges (pin holes or attachments) in which the arm 106 is hinged. Also connected to the front part of the turret frame 110 is the winch 108, which in figure 1 is only partially visible and shown in dashed lines to highlight the hidden part. The turret frame 110 is further responsible for holding all components comprised in or connected to the turret 105. The base machine 102 is responsible for manoeuvring the excavation tool 103, positioning it at the excavation point, and providing such excavation tool 103 with the power required to excavate the ground. The base machine 102 further performs a plurality of service functions, among which the following are essential: the movement of the excavation machine 100; the movement of the arm 106 and the turret 105 for positioning the excavation tool 103 and rotating the winch 108 to wind or unwind the flexible suspension element 107 to raise or lower the excavation tool 103 in the excavation. The excavation tool 103 generally comprises a milling cutter, which comprises a bearing prismatic frame 109, at the base of which excavation means 112 are fixed, in particular rotating excavation drums. The excavation drums 112 break down, and specifically cut and grind, the ground, ensuring a rectangular section of the excavation. The debris broken down by the teeth into small enough pieces are expelled from the excavation through an immersed suction pump 114, also fixed to the bearing prismatic frame 109 of the excavation tool 103, which sucks such the debris together with the stabilizing mud or excavation fluid, which fills the excavation, conveying them to the surface through a mud tube 115. Once it reaches the surface through the mud tube 115, due to the pressure from the pump 114, the excavation fluid is sent to specific plants that separate the hanging solid part, while the liquid fraction is reintroduced into the excavation in order to keep it constantly full. In this way, the excavation tool 103 progresses by removing ground down to the design depth. Such mud tube 115 is wound and unwound on a winder 113, to follow the movement of the excavation tool during the excavation and lifting steps. Such winder 113 for the mud tube 115 is positioned on the rotating turret 105 of the base machine 102. Referring to figure 1 of the prior art, it is possible to observe how the excavation tool 103 is also connected to the base machine 102 by support and guiding devices 116 of the power lines. Such support and guiding devices 116 are wound and unwound on a winder 117 to follow the movement of the excavation tool during the excavation and lifting steps. These support and guiding devices 116 of the power lines contain hydraulic pipes that allow the transmission of an oil flow rate and, generally, a hydraulic power from the base machine 102 to the hydraulic actu