Device for cleaning the helical gap of a screw drill rod and method for completing a borehole

Abstract

This invention relates to an apparatus for cleaning the helical clearance of an auger drill rod, comprising: a bracket for holding the apparatus at the mast of a drilling rig; a guide tube that sectionally surrounds the auger drill rod and is supported at the bracket; and a cleaning element embedded in the helical clearance and supported at the bracket in a manner rotatable about the borehole axis. According to the invention, the guide tube is supported at the bracket in a manner rotatable about the borehole axis; the cleaning element is fixedly mounted at the rotatably supported guide tube; for cleaning, the guide tube is axially fixed along the borehole axis; and the cleaning element, together with the guide tube, can be placed in rotation about the borehole axis during the extraction process of the auger drill rod to clean it. Furthermore, this invention relates to a method for completing drilling in the ground using a drilling rig, wherein the apparatus according to the invention is used.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an apparatus for cleaning the helical clearance of a auger drill rod, comprising: a bracket for holding the apparatus on the mast of a drilling rig; a guide tube that sectionally surrounds the auger drill rod and is supported at the bracket; and a cleaning element that is embedded in the helical clearance and supported at the bracket in a manner rotatable about the borehole axis.

[0002] Furthermore, the present invention relates to a method for drilling holes in the ground using a drilling rig, wherein a auger is screwed into the ground to form a hole and then pulled out. Background Technology

[0003] For drilling in the ground, especially in areas with cohesive soil materials, it is generally necessary to remove the soil material remaining on the auger after the auger rod is pulled out. It is known that cleaning devices are installed on the drilling rig for this purpose of cleaning the auger clearance and the auger rod to remove residual soil material.

[0004] In a simple configuration, the cleaning device has a fixed guide tube at which the cleaning plate can swing inward into the helical gap to clean it. Therefore, by means of the cooperating rotational and pulling motions of the auger rod, residual soil material can be removed from the helical gap by the cleaning plate.

[0005] For example, such a cleaning device is known from DE 34 46 902 A1.

[0006] Furthermore, a cleaning device having an impeller-like cleaning element is known from EP 1 081 329 B1. This impeller-like cleaning element is engaged with the helical portion of the auger rod so as to be embedded in the helical gap and clean residual soil material.

[0007] A drilling rig with a cleaning device is known from EP 2 749 729 A1, in which a cleaning element is supported in a manner rotatable about the borehole axis and driven by a rotary motor. The drive mechanism for the rotation of the cleaning element enables it to orbit around the auger rod, and thus removes residual soil material from the auger gaps during the pulling motion of the auger rod. However, such an arrangement requires a power supply via hydraulic lines or electrical wiring, which is associated with increased costs. In principle, the cleaning device is located close to the borehole, where the guide devices for the power supply lines are subject to an increased risk of damage during operation. Furthermore, the rotational motion of the cleaning element generated by the rotary motor and the pulling motion of the auger rod must be precisely coordinated, otherwise there is a risk of damage to both the cleaning element and the auger rod.

[0008] A cleaning device of this type is known from EP 0 744 525 B1. This cleaning device has a support with a guide tube fixedly mounted thereon. The cleaning device is supported on the underside of the guide tube by an axial bearing, allowing it to rotate freely about the borehole axis, thus enabling the cleaning device to revolve around the borehole axis.

[0009] This device is designed for cleaning purposes. It is first moved to the upper part of the mast, allowing the cleaning device to move downwards as it is pulled out of the auger rod due to its own weight. The cleaner, embedded in the auger gap, then travels helically through this gap, thus scraping away residual soil material. In this assembly, the axial bearing is subjected not only to axial forces but also to considerable lateral forces, thus negatively impacting the overall performance and lifespan of the axial bearing and the assembly. Summary of the Invention

[0010] The objective of this invention is to provide an apparatus and method for cleaning the helical clearance of a auger drill rod, which enables the cleaning of the helical clearance of the auger drill rod in a simple and reliable manner.

[0011] According to the present invention, the task is solved on the one hand by the apparatus according to the present invention; and on the other hand by the method according to the present invention. The present invention has several preferred embodiments.

[0012] The device according to the invention is characterized in that: the guide tube is supported at the bracket in a manner that allows it to rotate freely about the borehole axis; the cleaning element is fixedly mounted at the rotatably supported guide tube; for cleaning, the guide tube is axially fixed along the direction of the borehole axis; and the cleaning element together with the guide tube can be placed in rotation about the borehole axis by the process of pulling out the auger rod, so as to clean the auger rod.

[0013] A fundamental concept of this invention is that the guide tube, penetrated by the auger rod, is supported at a bracket in a rotatable manner. Based on the dimensions of the guide tube, a reliable and stable support device can be provided at the bracket. The cleaning element is fixed to the rotatably supported guide tube, allowing the cleaning element and the guide tube to rotate freely together. In the context of this invention, "rotatable" means that no active rotary drive device is provided for rotating the cleaning element; however, the cleaning element can rotate during extraction due to its interaction with the screw geometry. The cleaning element can be detachably and / or adjustablely mounted at the guide tube.

[0014] Another aspect of the invention is that, for cleaning purposes, the guide tube is axially fixed relative to the borehole axis. This can be achieved, for example, by fixing or clamping the bracket to the mast of the drilling rig. Generally, the device is constructed such that, during the pull-out process of the auger, the cleaning element, embedded in the helical gap of the auger along with the guide tube, is placed in rotation about the borehole axis. Through the geometry of the screw, and especially through the geometry of the screw helix, the axial pulling motion of the auger is converted into a rotational motion of the cleaning element and the guide tube together about the borehole axis. Thus, the axial pulling motion and the rotational motion of the cleaning element are automatically and passively coordinated. During the pulling motion of the auger, it can undergo a certain rotational motion, or it can remain stationary in the circumferential direction.

[0015] Therefore, the present invention enables reliable cleaning of residual soil material from the auger rod in a generally simple and durable construction, without the need for cumbersome control devices or energy supply for cleaning equipment.

[0016] In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the cleaning element has a cleaning plate with a receiving slot into which the drilling auger is inserted. The cleaning plate surrounds the drilling auger from its free edge at both the upper and lower sides via the receiving slot. Here, the cleaning plate can be constructed such that it extends integrally or over the main portion of the radial dimension of the drilling auger. This ensures that the drilling auger is reliably swept by the cleaning plate and that soil material is scraped away.

[0017] According to a modification of the device according to the invention, it is advantageous that the cleaning plate comprises a plate-like base, with at least one adjusting plate for forming the receiving slots adjustablely supported on the plate-like base. Preferably, two adjusting plates are provided, forming the upper and lower edges of the receiving slots. The adjustability of the adjusting plates on the plate-like base allows for the free setting of the slot width and matching with the corresponding plate thickness of the drilling auger of the auger rod. Preferably, the adjusting plates are made of a particularly wear-resistant material, as they can abut against the drilling auger and scrape away soil material.

[0018] Even in cases of excessive wear, the adjusting plate can be easily disassembled and replaced. Preferably, a bolt connection with elongated holes is provided at the adjusting plate for securing at least one adjusting plate.

[0019] During the cleaning operation, the edge of the receiving slot of the cleaning element can contact the axially moving auger rod, thereby causing the cleaning element to be squeezed due to the rise of the drilling helix and thus causing it to rotate around the drilling axis.

[0020] To improve the movement of the cleaning element in relation to the movement of the drilling auger, according to another variant embodiment of the invention, at least one guide roller is rotatably supported on the cleaning element so as to abut against the drilling auger of the auger rod. Preferably, the at least one guide roller is arranged on the cleaning element such that it abuts against the lower side of the drilling auger. Here, the lower side of the drilling auger is the side opposite to the upper side where soil material is placed. Since the drilling auger is typically not completely filled with soil material, a particularly loose (schonend) positioning of the guide roller is achieved. This can also be improved by positioning the guide roller behind the cleaning plate along the cleaning direction such that the guide roller itself does not contact or barely contacts the soil material. The guide roller functions as a bump-type roller, which, together with the drilling auger, forms a bump-following mechanism to convert the axial pulling motion of the auger rod into a circumferential motion of the cleaning element and the guide tube.

[0021] Furthermore, according to one embodiment of the invention, particularly good support for the guide tube is achieved by the bracket having an annular receiving portion, where the guide tube is rotatably supported and received. Therefore, the guide tube is laterally and rotatably supported over its entire circumference, enabling reliable resistance to both axial and lateral forces. In principle, the guide tube is fastened in a detachable and replaceable manner, so that in the event of changes in the auger pipe, matching the changed diameter can be easily achieved by replacing the guide tube.

[0022] Here, it is particularly advantageous to arrange multiple bearing rollers on an annular receiving portion, by means of which the guide tube is supported at the bracket in a manner that allows it to rotate about the borehole axis and is axially fixed relative to the borehole axis. Here, the bearing rollers are supported at the bracket by corresponding rolling axes, particularly on the inner side of the annular receiving portion, the rolling axes pointing radially relative to the borehole axis. The bearing rollers are particularly configured as support rollers, wherein an upper annular plate at the outer periphery of the guide tube is placed on the bearing roller. To prevent the guide tube sleeve from moving upward axially, a lower annular plate can be further installed at the outer periphery of the guide roller sleeve. Here, the upper and lower annular plates are axially spaced by a distance approximately corresponding to the outer diameter of the laterally pointing bearing roller. Bearing rollers arranged in this way are also called tiger rollers.

[0023] Another advantageous configuration of the invention utilizes two pivoting arms to construct the annular receiving portion, the two pivoting arms being pivotally supported between a closed operating position and an open position. In the closed operating position, the pivoting arms pivot together to form the annular receiving portion and are connected to each other by a detachable connecting device; in the open position, the pivoting arms pivot laterally, separating from each other. This allows the annular receiving portion to be opened, for example, allowing the auger rod to be removed and replaced laterally in a simplified manner. Furthermore, when the auger rod has completed drilling and the cleaning device is not yet needed, the opening swing of the annular receiving portion allows the cleaning device to be moved as far away from the working area as possible. This ensures that the cleaning device does not obstruct the downward movement of the drilling drive along the mast, allowing the drilling drive to move as far down the mast as possible to the ground.

[0024] When the auger is subsequently pulled out, the pivot arms, which are pivotally supported at the support, can be easily swung back together and reconnected to each other by a suitable connecting device, such as by locking pins.

[0025] Here, it is particularly advantageous that the guide tube can be split to open. Preferably, the guide tube can be opened into two halves of a housing, each half of which is preferably secured to a pivot arm. If necessary, the halves of the housing can also be removed from the pivot arm, or secured to the pivot arm in the open position by means of a separate fixing device. Suitable connecting devices, such as clamps or bolted connections, can also be provided on the outer periphery of the guide tube so that the two halves of the housing are reliably connected to each other when the guide tube is closed.

[0026] According to a modified embodiment of the invention, it is advantageous that the support has a sliding guide for movable guidance along the mast of the drilling rig; and a locking device for securing the support to the mast. The support can particularly have a slide, by means of which the support and the drilling rig slide block are movably supported along the guide on the mast, particularly at the guiding device. Movement can be achieved in various suitable ways, for example by means of an adjusting cylinder or a traction cable. In particular, a clamp that can be operated manually or by power can be provided as a fixing device.

[0027] Furthermore, the invention also includes a drilling rig having a lower bracket, an upper bracket supported thereon, and a mast, wherein a drilling drive device and a driven auger are movably supported along the mast, wherein the previously described device according to the invention is arranged for cleaning purposes. This device is particularly arranged in the area of ​​the mast at the drilling rig. The drilling rig can particularly be a pile drilling rig, wherein the mast is arranged substantially vertically and supported on a carrier having a lower bracket and an upper bracket.

[0028] Furthermore, the present invention includes a method for forming a borehole in the ground using the drilling rig described above, wherein a auger is screwed into the ground to form a borehole and then pulled out. During the screwing in of the auger, soil material that can accumulate on the helical portion of the borehole is excavated, wherein the auger is particularly likely a continuous auger (Endlosbohrschnecke) that extends substantially along the entire length of the mast.

[0029] According to the present invention, when the auger rod is pulled out, the auger rod's helical clearance is cleaned for residual soil material using the apparatus described above. Here, the method is implemented using the apparatus described above, which provides the advantages described above.

[0030] Depending on the method, the completed borehole can preferably be filled with a hardenable material, especially concrete suspension mud, through the core tube (Seelenrohr) of the auger drill rod to form a bored pile or pile foundation. Attached Figure Description

[0031] The invention will now be further described with reference to preferred embodiments schematically illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Wherein:

[0032] Figure 1 A perspective view of the device according to the invention is shown;

[0033] Figure 2 Show Figure 1 A front view of the device;

[0034] Figure 3 Showing from above towards Figure 1 and 2 A top view of the device; and

[0035] Figure 4 Showing according to Figures 1 to 3 A three-dimensional partial view of the device, in which the guide tube has been removed. Detailed Implementation

[0036] As from Figures 1 to 3 As can be deduced, the device 10 according to the invention for clearing the helical clearance of an auger drill rod (not shown) has a support 12 having a slider-shaped base 14. A slide is arranged at the rear side of the base 14 to form a sliding guide 16 by means of which the support 12 is movably guided along a linear guide located on the mast of the drilling rig, particularly at the guide device (Mäkler), and can be fixed thereto. The sliding guide 16 can correspond to a guide on the borehole drive device at the mast of the drilling rig.

[0037] The support 12 has an annular receiving portion 50 at its front side, which is normally horizontally arranged during operation and is formed by two pivoting arms 52. The pivoting arms 52 are correspondingly supported at the base 14 and the support 12 via pivot joints 56 in a manner that allows them to swing between a closed operating position and an open position, wherein the closed operating position is shown in the figure; in the open position, the pivoting arms 52 swing laterally outward about the pivot joints 56. In the operating position, the pivoting arms 52 are detachably connected by a connecting device 54. In the illustrated embodiment, the connecting device 54 has a vertically pointing locking pin.

[0038] In the closed operating position of the annular receiving portion 50, the guide tube 20 is received within the annular receiving portion and supported in a manner rotatable about the vertically pointing borehole axis 5. The inner diameter of the guide tube 20 matches the outer diameter of the auger rod (not shown), such that the auger rod is received in the guide tube 20 in a guided and rotatable manner. The guide tube 20 itself can be divided into two parts, as schematically shown by a dividing slit 24 extending axially at the guide tube 20.

[0039] When the annular receiving part 50 is opened, the guide tube 20 can also be held and removed by means of a lifting device with a hook, wherein a holding ring 26 for the corresponding hook of the lifting device is arranged on the upper side of the guide tube 20.

[0040] The guide tube 20 extends through the annular receiving portion 50, wherein the cleaning element 30 with a cleaning bracket 37 is detachably and adjustablely fixed at the lower end of the guide tube 20. A plate-type base 34 with a receiving slot 38 is provided at the cleaning bracket 37. The receiving slot 38 is configured to laterally receive the drilling helix portion of the auger rod. To match the geometry of the auger rod, a cleaning plate 32 with an upper adjusting plate and a lower adjusting plate 36 is provided at the plate-type base 34. The upper and lower adjusting plates 36 are adjustablely fixed by bolt connections and corresponding elongated holes in the adjusting plates 36 to adjust the geometry and width of the receiving slot. The cleaning bracket 37 may have a pivot joint, around which the cleaning element 30 can swing from a cleaning position in the auger rod to a release position.

[0041] Furthermore, the cleaning element 30 has radially oriented guide rollers 40, which are arranged and constructed such that they abut against the lower or upper side of the drilling auger. Here, the guide rollers 40 are able to roll within the drilling auger, such that when the auger rod is pulled out vertically upwards in an axial motion, a circumferential force is applied to the cleaning element 30 due to the rise of the drilling auger, and thus to the fixedly connected guide tube 20.

[0042] Here, according to the invention, the guide tube 20 is rotatably supported around a generally vertically oriented drilling axis 5. For this purpose, the guide tube 20 has two annular plates 22 on its outer side, wherein... Figure 1 and 3 Correspondingly, only the upper annular plate 22 can be seen. The guide tube 22 is placed on the radially pointing bearing roller 60 located inside the annular receiving portion 50 by means of the upper annular plate 22, wherein the bearing roller 60 is... Figure 4As shown in the illustration. In the illustrated embodiment, two bearing rollers 60 are respectively arranged at one of the two pivot arms 52 with radially oriented rolling axes. Therefore, the lower annular plate is axially and downwardly spaced from the upper annular plate 22 at the guide tube 20 by a distance approximately corresponding to the diameter of the bearing roller 60, such that the guide tube 20 is received in the annular receiving portion 50 in a rotatable but axially fixed manner.

[0043] Based on the described geometry, when the auger rod with a certain screw pitch is pulled out axially, the guide roller 40 applies force to the cleaning element 30, causing the guide tube 20, which is rotatably supported and has the cleaning element 30 mounted on it, to undergo a circular motion around the borehole axis 5. Here, the cleaning plate 32, embedded in the borehole helical gap of the auger rod, sweeps across this area and thus scrapes away the soil material remaining on the screw helix.

[0044] The cleaning plate is matched to the helical gap in both radial and axial dimensions. In order to more easily throw soil material through the cleaning plate 32, a notch 28 is provided in the lower region of the guide tube 20 to throw the soil material.

Claims

1. A device for cleaning the helical clearance of a auger drill rod, comprising: - A bracket (12) for holding the device (10) at the mast of the drilling rig; - Guide tube (20), which sectionally surrounds the auger drill rod having a drilling helix and is supported at the bracket (12); and - Cleaning element (30), which is embedded in the helical gap and supported at the bracket (12) in a manner that allows it to rotate freely about the borehole axis (5). in, - The guide tube (20) is supported on the bracket (12) in a manner that allows it to rotate freely about the borehole axis (5); - The cleaning element (30) is fixedly installed at the rotatably supported guide tube (20); - For cleaning purposes, the guide tube (20) is axially fixed along the direction of the borehole axis (5); and - The process of pulling out the auger rod allows the cleaning element (30) and the guide tube (20) to rotate together around the borehole axis (5) in order to clean the auger rod. Its features are, The cleaning element (30) has a cleaning plate (32) with a receiving slot (38) into which the drilling spiral portion is embedded.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cleaning plate (32) surrounds the upper and lower sides of the drilled spiral from the free edge of the drilled spiral by means of the receiving gap (38).

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, characterized in that, The cleaning plate (32) includes a plate-shaped base (34) with at least one adjusting plate (36) adjustablely supported on the plate-shaped base to form the receiving slot (38).

4. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, At least one guide roller (40) is rotatably supported at the cleaning element (30) so as to abut against the drilling helix of the auger rod.

5. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The bracket (12) has an annular receiving portion (50), and the guide tube (20) is rotatably supported and received in the annular receiving portion.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that, A plurality of bearing rollers (60) are arranged at the annular receiving portion (50) to support the guide tube (20) at the bracket (12) in a manner that allows it to rotate around the borehole axis (5) and is axially fixed relative to the borehole axis (5).

7. The apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that, The annular receiving portion (50) is constructed with two pivot arms (52) supported in a manner that allows them to swing between a closed operating position and an open position. In the closed operating position, the pivot arms (52) swing together to form the annular receiving portion (50) and are connected to each other by a detachable connecting device (54). In the open position, the pivot arms (52) swing laterally apart from each other.

8. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The guide tube (20) is separable so that it can be opened.

9. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that, The bracket (12) has a sliding guide (16) for movable guidance along the mast of the drilling rig and a fixing device for fixing the bracket (12) to the mast.

10. A drilling rig having a lower bracket, an upper bracket supported thereon, and a mast, wherein a drilling drive device and a driven auger drill rod are movably supported along the mast, characterized in that, Arrange the apparatus (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

11. A method for drilling a hole in the ground using the drilling rig according to claim 10, wherein, The auger is screwed into the ground to form a borehole and then pulled out, characterized in that, when the auger is pulled out, the helical gap of the auger is cleaned for residual soil material by means of the device (10) according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

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