Digger Vehicle Spool Attachment for Wireline Winding
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Solution Overview
Problem
The collection and distribution of wirelines over long distances require specialized vehicles that are often difficult and expensive to acquire, as digger vehicles, commonly used in the wire installation industry, are not designed for spooling wirelines.
Innovation Solution
An attachment assembly is used to convert the digging mechanism of a digger vehicle into a spooling mechanism, utilizing the auger drive shaft to provide rotational force for winding or unwinding wire through a spool, with additional mechanisms to maintain orientation and guide the wire.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If specialized spooling vehicles are used to wind or unwind wirelines, then the wireline spooling function is reliable and effective, but the equipment cost and acquisition difficulty increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment assembly enables the digger vehicle to perform multiple functions - both digging (via the auger) and spooling wirelines (via the attachment assembly with spool). The universal interface allows the same vehicle to switch between different wire installation tasks, eliminating the need for separate specialized spooling vehicles and reducing equipment acquisition costs while maintaining reliable wireline handling capability
Solution Approach 2:
The attachment assembly acts as an intermediary device that bridges the digger vehicle and the spool. It includes a coupling mechanism that connects to the auger drive shaft, transmitting rotational force to the spool through intermediate components like the attachment assembly body, coupling arms, and fastening mechanisms. This intermediary structure allows the digger vehicle's existing drive system to power the spooling function without requiring direct modification to the vehicle itself
2Productivity
If the auger drive shaft is converted to drive a spool, then the existing vehicle's actuating mechanism is utilized, but the orientation and positioning of the spooling mechanism must be controlled
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment assembly incorporates dynamic positioning capabilities through its coupling mechanism. The coupling arms can pivot and adjust to accommodate different spool orientations, and the fastening system allows for adjustable positioning. This dynamic adaptability enables the operator to position the spool at various angles and heights to suit different wireline installation scenarios, making the converted vehicle easy to operate despite the added complexity of the spooling function
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables efficient spooling and unwinding of wirelines using existing digger vehicles, eliminating the need for specialized equipment and reducing costs.
Implementation Method 1
The hollow cylinder may have a transverse hole to engage the auger digging mechanism to the attachment assembly
Implementation Method 2
A pin may be disposable through the transverse hole and a pin hole of the auger digging mechanism to engage the auger digging mechanism to the attachment assembly
Implementation Method 3
the sleeve may have a grease fitting hole configured as a lubrication input between an inner surface of the sleeve and an outer surface of the hollow cylinder
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus and method for converting the digging mechanism of a digger vehicle into a spooling mechanism is disclosed. An attachment assembly may be attached to a spool and to an auger drive shaft of the digger vehicle to create the spooling mechanism. The spooling mechanism may function by the auger drive shaft providing rotational force that gets translated to the spool through the attachment assembly to rotate and wind or unwind wire.