Hydraulic Crowd System for Pipe Ramming Hammer Contact
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional horizontal pipe ramming systems using hydraulic hammers face challenges in securely maintaining the hammer housing in contact with the pipe due to the extended ram, leading to inefficiencies and safety hazards from unwieldy cable winch systems.
Innovation Solution
A hydraulic crowd system utilizing rail-mounted carriages and hydraulic cylinders to maintain constant contact between the hammer and pipe, with a compressible resilient assembly to ensure consistent force delivery during impacts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a cable winch crowd system is used to maintain hammer contact with the pipe, then the hammer can be secured against the pipe, but the system becomes unwieldy and dangerous to personnel
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical cable winch crowd system with a hydraulic crowd system. The hydraulic crowd uses hydraulic cylinders to apply force to the hammer housing, maintaining contact with the pipe without requiring complex cable mechanisms. This substitution eliminates the unwieldy setup and safety hazards associated with highly tensioned cables while maintaining reliable hammer contact throughout the ramming operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a hydraulic crowd system where hydraulic cylinders are positioned to apply crowd force to the hammer housing. The hydraulic system provides controlled, adjustable force to maintain hammer contact with the pipe, replacing the mechanical advantage system of cables and winches. This hydraulic approach simplifies the overall system while improving safety and ease of operation.
2Force
If the ram extends outside the hammer housing, then hydraulic force can be applied, but it becomes impractical to secure the housing to the pipe
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a crowd system as an intermediary mechanism between the hydraulic hammer and the pipe. The crowd system, implemented through hydraulic cylinders acting on the hammer housing, provides the necessary securing force without requiring direct attachment of the housing to the pipe. This intermediary crowd mechanism allows the ram to extend outside the housing for hydraulic force application while maintaining secure contact through the crowd system.
3Reliability
If conventional cable winch systems are used for crowd, then the hammer can be tensioned against the pipe, but setup time increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the complex mechanical cable winch system with a hydraulic crowd system that can be quickly deployed and adjusted. The hydraulic cylinders can be rapidly positioned and pressurized to establish the required crowd force, eliminating the time-consuming process of assembling and tensioning multiple cable segments and winch mechanisms. This substitution maintains reliable hammer tensioning while dramatically reducing setup time.
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
The system achieves nearly constant minimum crowd of 40 tonnes during impact cycles, enhancing the efficiency and safety of horizontal pipe ramming by maintaining hammer contact with the pipe, reducing setup time and personnel risks.
Implementation Method 1
hydraulic crowd to a percussive hammer aligned against a pipe... provided by means of one or more hydraulic cylinders... hydraulic cylinders act on a rail-mounted carriage that carries the percussive hammer... hydraulic cylinders urge the carriage along the rails toward the pipe
Implementation Method 2
a compressible resilient assembly interposed between the carriage and the hammer... The assembly is compressed by the combined action of the hydraulic cylinders urging the carriage and a hammer harness toward the pipe and of the hammer and associated strike assembly that are braced against the pipe by the crowd force. The resilient assembly decompresses upon the displacement of the pipe resulting from an impact of the hammer.
Data Source
AI summary
A horizontal pipe ramming system includes a hydraulic crowd system. A hydraulic percussive hammer is mounted on a carriage that is urged forward by hydraulic cylinders acting between the carriage and an abutment. The continuity of crowd is enhanced by a compressive resilient assembly that releases its energy to the hammer to keep it in contact with the pipe after impact.