Civil engineering machinery and methods for operating civil engineering machinery.

Abstract

To specify a civil engineering machine and a method for operating the same in which a work unit of the civil engineering machine can be lowered particularly efficiently.SOLUTION: In a civil engineering machine, an electronic control device is provided for controlled opening, partial opening and closing of a free fall brake by means of at least one control element, a lowering speed and / or a lowering path can be preset as target values in the control device, at least one detection device is provided which is configured to detect a lowering speed and / or a lowering path of the work unit as actual values, and the control device is connected to the at least one detection device and is configured to control opening, partial opening and closing of the free fall brake depending on the detected actual values. Thus, the actual values approximate to the preset target values in order to correspond to them.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to construction machinery, particularly a cable grab, which includes a support device, a working unit configured to perform construction work and held by the support device using at least one cable, and at least one cable winch for operating the cable. The cable winch has a winch drum and a related winch motor for rotationally driving the winch drum. It also includes at least one free-fall brake disposed on at least one cable winch. In the restrained state of the free-fall brake, the winch drum is coupled to the related winch motor. In the semi-released state of the free-fall brake, relative movement is possible between the winch drum and the winch motor, and torque is transmitted within the free-fall brake, which corresponds to the degree of release of the free-fall brake. In the released state, the winch drum is disengaged from the related winch motor and can rotate substantially freely relative thereto. This is as described in the preamble of claim 1.

Background Art

[0002] In the case of certain construction machinery, particularly so-called cable grabs, it is often necessary to repeatedly lower and raise a working unit for performing construction work by means of a cable using a cable winch. For example, when the cable grab or the excavation bucket is used as the working unit, after the construction work, the cable grab or the excavation bucket filled with the earth and sand removed from the ground needs to be pulled up again from the hole made in the ground, moved to the discharge location, and emptied. Then, the working unit is returned to the excavation hole again to enter a new working process.

[0003] For efficient operation, the objective in this case is to perform the raising and, particularly, the lowering of the working unit as quickly as possible.

[0004] For example, Patent Document 1 shows a civil engineering machine equipped with a cable grab. In the case of a cable grab, it is known that the grab is lowered by friction action and driving the cable winch in the downward direction, or by completely releasing the so-called free-fall brake, or by partially releasing it (half-releasing) and allowing the grab to descend by its own weight. In all cases, this is done manually by the machine operator.

[0005] In principle, it is possible to control the descent speed using frictional descent driven by rotational movement in the downward direction of a winch. However, this is only achievable at a limited descent speed due to the maximum possible speed of the winch motor.

[0006] On the other hand, when lowering a cable grab with the winch drive completely or partially disconnected, a much faster descent speed can be achieved by fully or partially releasing the free-fall brake. However, there is no control of the movement by the machine controller. When lowering a cable grab by free fall, the machine operator must stand on the free-fall brake control pedal to control the descent speed through the pedal position. In this case, finding the correct pedal position is not easy; it depends heavily on the machine operator's experience. Furthermore, operating the control pedal or brake pedal to control the descent for extended periods is ergonomically strenuous.

[0007] In particular, there is no control by the machine controller regarding the maximum descent speed or the descent path. This is controlled by the machine operator based on their own experience. In the past, this has repeatedly caused damage to the free-fall brake, as it can overheat, especially in the case of long descent paths, fast descent speeds, and heavy cable grabs.

[0008] The problem lies in the fact that the winch motor is stationary when descending in free fall. This means that the free-fall brake plate connected to the winch motor is stationary, while the plate connected to the winch drum rotates according to the descent speed of the cable grab. When descending with a partially released free-fall brake, this means that the pair of plates within the free-fall brake rub against each other. This causes wear on the plates and heating of the free-fall brake, which can lead to overheating of the free-fall brake. [Prior art documents] [Patent Documents]

[0009] [Patent Document 1] European Patent Application Publication No. 4134489 [Overview of the project] [Problems that the invention aims to solve]

[0010] The object of the present invention is to identify a civil engineering machine and a method for operating it that can lower the working unit of the civil engineering machine particularly efficiently. [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] This objective is achieved, on the one hand, by a civil engineering machine having the features of claim 1, and on the other hand, by a method having the features of claim 11. Preferred embodiments of the present invention are shown in the dependent claims, respectively.

[0012] The civil engineering machine according to the present invention is characterized in that an electronic control device is arranged for controlled release, partial release, and restraint of a free-fall brake using at least one control element, the descent speed and / or descent path can be preset in the control device as a target value, at least one detection device is arranged and configured to detect the descent speed and / or descent path of the work unit as an actual value, and the control device is connected to at least one detection device and configured to control the release, partial release, and restraint of the free-fall brake according to the detected actual value, thereby causing the actual value to approach the target value so that it matches the preset target value.

[0013] The basic idea of ​​this invention is to release, partially release, and constrain a free-fall brake in an inventive manner controlled by an electronically controlled device. For this purpose, the free-fall brake is provided with at least one controllable control element for release, partial release, and constrainment.

[0014] According to another aspect of the present invention, a target value is stored in a control device, and the value is related to at least the descent speed or the descent path. The actual value corresponding to the target value, and therefore at least the actual descent speed or the actual descent path, can be detected by at least one detection device. The descent speed can be detected directly or indirectly via a corresponding value, for example, the rotational speed of a cable winch. Similarly, the descent path of a work unit can also be detected directly or indirectly, for example, via the number of rotations or rotational position of a free-fall winch.

[0015] According to another aspect of the present invention, the control device is configured to control the release, partial release, and restraint of the free-fall brake in accordance with the detected actual value, thereby bringing the actual value closer to a preset target value so that it ideally matches the target value. In other words, automatic control of the free-fall brake in accordance with actual data to the work unit is realized.

[0016] Therefore, by using the civil engineering machinery according to the present invention, a highly automated free-fall operation can be implemented to lower the work unit. This offers several advantages: on the one hand, energy efficiency, and particularly rapid descent in free-fall mode. On the other hand, the automation of the release, partial release, and restraint control of the free-fall brake eliminates the need for prolonged control or brake pedal operation, significantly reducing the burden on the machine operator. This process can be controlled by the entire machine.

[0017] A preferred embodiment of the present invention is that at least one winch motor is controlled by a control device, and the control device is configured to operate the associated winch motor to rotate the winch drum in the downward direction of the cable when the free-fall brake of the cable winch is released or partially released. According to this further configuration, the control device also controls the winch motor. The control device is configured to operate the associated winch motor in the downward direction of the cable, in particular when the free-fall brake of the cable winch is released or partially released. This seemingly contradictory operation of the winch motor, which releases or partially releases the free-fall brake and lowers the winch drum at least incompletely from the winch motor, has the advantage that wear on the free-fall brake plates and heat generation within the free-fall brake are reduced by decreasing the speed difference between the plates of the free-fall brake.

[0018] Furthermore, slippage can be created between the plate connected to the winch motor and the plate connected to the winch drum. This slippage allows for variations in the descent speed. In addition, the free-fall brake, in particular, can be slowly released while the winch motor is already moving downwards, similarly easing the descent in this initial stage and reducing plate wear.

[0019] According to the development of the present invention, it is advantageous for the control device to have at least one input device for inputting the descent speed and / or descent path as target values ​​and / or control commands. The input device can be configured in essentially any form, particularly as a keyboard, as a touchscreen, or as a suitable rotary switch. This allows the machine operator to specify and set desired values ​​for each construction means.

[0020] According to another modified implementation of the present invention, it is preferable that the control device is configured to have an automatic control program in which, when a start and / or stop command is input, the free-fall operation of at least one free-fall winch is started or stopped by gradually releasing, partially releasing, or restraining the free-fall brake in response to the start / stop command over a predetermined period of time. Gradually releasing, partially releasing, and restraining the free-fall brake over a predetermined period of time at start or stop allows for particularly gentle operation, which has a positive effect on the service life of individual parts and the entire construction machine.

[0021] A particularly preferred embodiment also includes a tiltable joystick as the input device of the control device, allowing the operator to control the descent speed by the tilt angle of the joystick. In this way, one-handed operation using the joystick enables particularly simple and operator-friendly control of the descent speed. Furthermore, speed control using a joystick by tilting it facilitates particularly intuitive speed adjustment.

[0022] Another advantageous embodiment of the present invention is that the input device of the control device has control buttons for starting and stopping the automatic control program, particularly on a joystick. In this way, the winch can be manually controlled initially by the joystick, especially with regard to the lowering speed, and the machine operator can switch to automatic operation by simply operating the control buttons. Further control of the lowering speed and, optionally, the lowering path can be carried out in this way via the automatic control program. The control buttons are preferably arranged directly on the joystick, enabling the lowering to be carried out ergonomically and rationally with one hand operation.

[0023] The free fall brake can be configured in principle in any suitable way. According to one implementation variant of the present invention, at least one free fall brake is configured like a multi-plate clutch with a plurality of friction disks, also called plates, and it is particularly advantageous that these disks can be pressed against each other to brake. The free fall brake is made in the structure of a multi-plate clutch such that the contact surface and the friction surface increase according to the number of plates arranged. This enables particularly high force transmission.

[0024] By pressing against each other axially, the plates are connected to each other by force fitting or frictional engagement, enabling force transmission between them. In particular, the winch drum connected to the plate on the first side can be connected to the winch motor or the holding element connected to the plate on the opposing second side in a way that is fixed with respect to rotation. By appropriately adjusting the plates slowly axially relative to each other, a corresponding gentle braking effect can be obtained.

[0025] According to the development of the present invention, the construction machine has a cable grab with a grab shovel, particularly as a diaphragm wall grab with a substantially rectangular guide frame or as an excavation gripper with a substantially cylindrical guide frame, and there are removal teeth arranged on the grab shovel and configured to remove soil.

[0026] The cable grab can be connected to a support device on which a winch is arranged via corresponding cable suspension elements on the mast or boom arm. The support device is preferably movable and may in particular comprise a crawler chassis.

[0027] According to a further development of the invention, it is advantageous for the cable grab to have a first cable for raising and lowering the cable grab and a second cable for opening and closing the grab shovel, and for the two cables to be operable by cable winches respectively. The cable winches are preferably arranged on the support device. This enables a particularly compact construction of the construction machine.

[0028] The method of the invention for operating a construction machine is characterized in that the construction machine of the invention is being used, at least one free-fall brake is controlled to be released and restrained by an electronic control device via at least one control element, the descent speed and / or the descent path are preset as target values in the control device, the descent speed and / or the descent path of the working unit are detected as actual values by a detection device, and, depending on the detected actual values, the release, semi-release and restraint of the free-fall brake are controlled by the control device such that the actual values approach the preset target values.

[0029] The method of the invention can in particular be carried out using the construction machine of the invention described above. By doing so, the advantages described above can be realized. In particular, the construction machine described above can also be operated in accordance with the method of the invention.

[0030] The construction machine can in principle be configured to carry out any construction method. According to a further development of the invention, it is particularly preferred for soil to be removed by the construction machine. The removal of soil can in particular be carried out in a discontinuous operation.

[0031] One modified implementation of the present invention involves the use of a civil engineering machine equipped with a cable grab, the cable grab creating a groove having a rectangular groove cross-section or a hole having a circular hole cross-section. By opening and closing the grab shovel, soil from the ground can be drawn into the cable grab when drilling a hole in the ground. The filled cable grab can be withdrawn from the hole and moved to a discharge point. After being emptied, the cable grab can be returned to the processing point and lowered into the hole by the corresponding operation of a cable winch. In particular, the lowering can be carried out according to the method of the present invention.

[0032] The present invention will be further described below based on preferred exemplary embodiments schematically shown in the drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0033] [Figure 1] This is a perspective view of the civil engineering machine of the present invention equipped with a cable grab. [Figure 2] Figure 1 is a front view of the cable grab of a civil engineering machine equipped with a closed grab shovel. [Figure 3] Figure 2 is a front view of a cable grab with an open grab shovel. [Figure 4] This is a schematic cross-sectional view of a winch device equipped with a free-fall brake for civil engineering machinery according to the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0034] The civil engineering machine 10 of the present invention shown in Figure 1 may have a mobile support device 12 comprising a crawler chassis as a lower carriage 14. An upper carriage 16, comprising a driver's cabin 17, may be supported on the lower carriage 14 so as to be rotatable about a vertical axis of rotation. Preferably, control equipment, including input devices for the machine operator, is arranged inside the driver's cabin 17.

[0035] The boom arm 18 can be articulated to rotate around a horizontal axis on the upper carriage 16. A retaining cable 24 can be guided at the tip 20 of the boom arm 18, which is equipped with a deflection pulley, and a working unit 30, configured as a cable grab 31 with a grab frame 32 and a lower grab shovel 34, can be attached to the end of the cable. The retaining cable 24 can be operated via a first cable winch 21 on the support device 12 to raise and lower the cable grab 31. Furthermore, a second cable winch 22 can be located on the support device 12 for an operating cable 44, which can also be guided to the cable grab 31 via the tip 20 to operate the grab shovel 34 at the lower end of the grab frame 32.

[0036] The operating modes of the civil engineering machine 10 of the present invention will be described in more detail below with reference to Figures 2 and 3.

[0037] In the central region of the grab frame 32, an operating carriage 42 of an operating device 40 for operating a grab shovel 34 can be supported so as to be displaceable in the vertical longitudinal direction. The end of a retaining cable 24 can be fixed to the upper end of the operating carriage 42, thereby holding the cable grab 31 via the operating carriage 42.

[0038] A linkage mechanism 46, comprising a link rod 47, may be positioned at the lower end of the operating carriage 42. Preferably, one end of the link rod 47 is articulated to the operating carriage 42 and the other end to one of the grab shovels 34. The grab shovel 34 may itself be rotatably supported at the lower end of the grab frame 32 using a pivot support 35. The grab shovel 34 can be opened and closed by displacing the operating carriage 42 relative to the grab frame 32. The link rod 47 can be pulled upward by displacing the operating carriage 42 upward, thereby rotating the grab shovel 34 to its open position about its pivot axis 35, as clearly shown in Figure 3.

[0039] Below the operating carriage 42, a pulley system 50 for the operating cable 44 may be provided. The pulley system 50 may have an upper pulley 52 rotatably supported on the operating carriage 42 and a lower pulley 54 rotatably supported in the lower region of the grab frame 32. The operating cable 44 supplied from above can be wound around the pulleys 52, 54 multiple times, forming a wrap 56 or tension, and the lower end of the operating cable 44 is fixedly connected to the grab frame 32. Thus, the operating carriage 42 can be adjustably connected or coupled to the grab frame 32 using the operating cable 44.

[0040] Starting from the open position shown in Figure 3, the operating carriage 42 can be pulled downward relative to the grab frame 32 by the pulley system 50 by the second cable winch 22 pulling the operating cable 44 upward. This causes the link rod 47 to press the grab shovel 34 downward with an increased closing force, and the grab shovel 34 rotates to the closed position around its pivot support 35 as shown in Figure 2.

[0041] When used in underground trenches, soil and debris can be gripped in the operation with an increased closing force compared to the tensile force applied to the operating cable 44 and can be trapped between the grab shovels 34.

[0042] After the cable grab 31 is pulled out of the trench in the ground and moved to the discharge position, the tensile force on the operating cable 44 can be reduced. In this way, the grab frame 32 can move downward relative to the operating carriage 42 by its own weight, thereby rotating the grab shovel 34 back to its open position via the link rod 47, as shown in Figure 3.

[0043] The apparatus described herein is merely an example. Other pulley systems with different cable linkages and linkage mechanisms that facilitate similar grab shovel operations can, in principle, be selected.

[0044] When operating the cable grab 31, coordination of force and movement between the holding cable 24 and the operating cable 44 is required. This is to control the torque of the individual cables, and therefore the torque of the attached cable grab 31 around its longitudinal axis, and in particular, due to the so-called twisting direction in the case of stranded cables, so that the desired rotation of the cable grab 31 occurs only when necessary for the installation procedure.

[0045] The forces of the holding cable 24 and the operating cable 44 can be detected using appropriate sensing equipment, which can be located, for example, on a deflection pulley at the tip 20 of the cable winches 21, 22 or the boom arm 18. Preferably via control equipment located in the operator cabin 17 on the support device 12, the winches 21, 22 can be controlled in accordance with the detected cable force, thereby achieving either stabilization of the orientation of the cable grab 31 in terms of slewing around the longitudinal axis, or a target twist desired by the machine operator. On the machine operator's side, only appropriate input for an arbitrarily desired compensation mode for position stabilization, or only input for a desired rotational position of the cable grab 31, is required. Based on this, the control equipment can actuate the cable winches 21, 22 as appropriate to achieve the desired orientation of the cable grab 31 in terms of slewing. This greatly simplifies the control of the simply structured cable grab 31, making it easier for the machine operator.

[0046] After the grab shovel 34 is emptied, the cable grab 31 can descend again into the hole in the ground. This can be done in a controlled free-fall mode, which will be described below in relation to the winch device shown in Figure 4.

[0047] The exemplary winch device shown in Figure 4 has a cable winch 60 with a winch drum 62 that can be rotatably mounted on a winch frame 64. The winch drum 62 is rotationally driven via a drive shaft 71 by a schematically shown winch motor 70, which may be implemented as a hydraulic motor, and a schematically shown winch gear device 72, which may be a single-stage or multi-stage planetary gear. The cable winch 60 may form at least one or both of the winches 21, 22 of the previously described civil engineering machine 10.

[0048] The free-fall brake 80 positioned between the winch motor 70 and the winch drum 62 according to the present invention is made in the form of a multi-plate clutch or multi-plate brake. By operating the free-fall brake 80, a rotational integration can be achieved between the winch motor 70 and the winch drum 62, particularly between the winch drum 62 and the drive shaft 71, while simultaneously achieving a disengaged or partially disengaged state. In the disengaged state, the winch drum 62 of the cable winch 60 can rotate freely without a rotational connection to the winch motor 70. By adjusting the plates of the free-fall brake 80 in stages, an intermediate state between the integrated and disengaged state can also be set, in which case a certain amount of slippage may occur between the winch motor 70 and the winch drum 62, thereby creating friction between the plate pairs of the free-fall brake 80.

[0049] The winch drum can be held and locked against the winch frame 64 by a retaining brake 84. A control device 90 is arranged according to the present invention for control, and this device can be formed, for example, by a computer or other electronic control unit. The operation of the winch motor 70, in particular speed, torque, rotational position, etc., can be controlled via the control device 90. Furthermore, the control device 90 may be configured to include a first actuator 91 for releasing, partially releasing, and restraining the free-fall brake 80. The retaining brake 84 can be operated by the control unit 90 via a second actuator 92.

[0050] The machine operator can input target values ​​to the control device 90 for the descent speed and / or descent path of the work unit 30, or for the corresponding rotation of the winch drum 62. Furthermore, the machine operator can activate the winch motor 70 and the free-fall brake 80 via the control device 90. In particular, a joystick 97 is provided as an input device 96 for the control device 90, and using this joystick, the machine operator can control the descent speed of the work unit 30 attached to the cable winch 60 by tilting the control lever. Using the control buttons 98 on the joystick 97, the machine operator can activate or stop the automatic program.

[0051] The rotational position and / or rotational speed of the winch drum 62 can be detected via a sensing device 94 and sent to a control device 90 as the actual values ​​of the descent speed and / or descent path of the attached work unit 30. The corresponding data can be displayed to the machine operator on a monitor not shown in Figure 4.

[0052] When the automatic control program is activated, the control device 90 may automatically operate the free-fall brake 80 so that the actual values ​​detected by the detection device 94 correspond to, or at least approach, pre-set target values ​​for the descent speed or the respective descent path.

[0053] In the case of a work unit 30 such as a cable grab 31 having two cables 24, 44, both winches 21, 22 can be operated simultaneously to lower the work unit 30 or each cable grab 31 without opening or closing the grab shovel 34.

Claims

1. It is civil engineering machinery, • Support device and, A work unit configured to perform civil engineering processes and held to the support device by at least one cable, - At least one cable winch for operating the cable, wherein the cable winch comprises a winch drum and an associated winch motor for rotationally driving the winch drum, - A free-fall brake, which is arranged on the cable winch, and in the constrained state of the free-fall brake, connects the winch drum to the associated winch motor; in the semi-released state of the free-fall brake, allows the winch drum and the associated winch motor to move relative to each other, and transmits a torque within the free-fall brake corresponding to the degree of release of the free-fall brake; and in the fully released state, disconnects the winch drum from the associated winch motor, allowing it to rotate substantially freely relative to the associated winch motor, in a civil engineering machine comprising: - Electronic control equipment is arranged to perform controlled release and restraint of the free-fall brake using at least one actuator. - The descent speed and / or descent path can be preset as target values ​​for the electronic control device. - At least one detection device is provided and configured to detect the descent speed and / or descent path of the work unit as actual values. - The electronic control device is connected to at least one detection device and is configured to control the release, partial release, and restraint of the free-fall brake according to the actual value or detected actual value so that the actual value approaches the preset target value. - The associated winch motor is controlled by the electronic control device, and the electronic control device is configured to operate the associated winch motor in the downward direction when the free-fall brake of the cable winch is partially released. Civil engineering machinery.

2. The electronic control device is configured to operate the associated winch motor in the downward direction when the free-fall brake of the cable winch is released. The civil engineering machinery according to claim 1.

3. The electronic control device has at least one input device for inputting the descent speed and / or the descent path as target values, and / or control commands. The civil engineering machinery according to claim 1.

4. The aforementioned electronic control device is configured with an automatic control program, and when a start and / or stop command is input, the free-fall operation is started or stopped in accordance with these commands by gradually releasing, partially releasing, or restricting the free-fall brake over a predetermined period of time. The civil engineering machinery according to claim 1.

5. The input device of the electronic control device is equipped with a tiltable joystick, and the operator can control the descent speed by the tilt angle of the joystick. The civil engineering machinery according to claim 3.

6. The input device of the electronic control device has control buttons for starting and stopping the automatic control program. The civil engineering machinery according to claim 3.

7. The free-fall brake is configured as a multi-plate clutch having multiple friction plates, and these friction plates can press against each other to provide braking. The civil engineering machinery according to claim 1.

8. The work unit is a cable grab equipped with a grab shovel, The cable grab is a continuous underground wall grab with a roughly rectangular guide frame, or an excavation grab with a roughly cylindrical guide frame. The aforementioned grab shovel has a removal blade positioned to remove soil, The civil engineering machinery according to claim 1.

9. The cable grab has a first cable for raising and lowering the cable grab, and a second cable for opening and closing the grab shovel. The first cable and the second cable are each operable by a cable winch. The civil engineering machine according to claim 8.

10. Multiple cables can be positioned together with a cable winch and operated in parallel or synchronously with each other. The civil engineering machinery according to claim 1.

11. This is a method for operating civil engineering machinery. - The civil engineering machinery described in claim 1 is used, - The at least one free-fall brake is controlled and released and restrained by at least one control element through an electronic control device. - The descent speed and / or descent path can be preset as target values ​​for the electronic control device. - The descent speed and / or descent path of the work unit are detected as actual values ​​by at least one detection device. - In accordance with the detected actual value, the release and restraint of the free-fall brake are controlled by the electronic control device so that the actual value approaches the preset target value. method.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the soil is removed by the civil engineering machinery.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein a civil engineering machine is used in which the work unit is a cable grab, and the cable grab is used to create a groove having a rectangular groove cross-section or a hole having a circular hole cross-section.

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