US2840347A - Drill feeding apparatus - Google Patents

Description

5 She eis-Sheet 1 Filed NOV. 26, 1954 Ill FlGll INVENTOR. JACOB E. FEUGHT FIG?) ATTORNEY June 24, 1958 J. E. FEUCHT DRILL FEEDING APPARATUS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 26, 1954 64 FIG5 INVENTOR. JACOB E. FEUCHT ATTORNEY J. E. FEUCHT DRILL FEEDING APPARATUS June 24, 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed NOV. 26, 1954 INVENTOR.

JACOB E. FEUCHT ATTORNEY United States Pat ent 2,840,347 DRILL FEEDING APPARATUS Jacob E. Feucht, Garfield Heights, Ohio, assignor to Cleveland Rock Drill Division, Westinghouse Air Brake Company, Pittsburgh, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application November 26, 1954, Serial No. 471,286 1 Claim. 01. 255-45 This invention relates broadly to rock drilling apparatus,

but more particularly to an improved drilling apparatus especially designed for either stoper or horizontal drilling where short overall length of the apparatus and relatively long feeds are desirable.

One object of this invention is to provide a drilling apparatus with a feeding mechanism of the single power cylinder type, but arranged and constructed in a manner whereby the maximum feed of the drilling motor is materially greater than that of the feed cylinder.

Another object of this invention is to produce a feed mechanism of a short overall length but capable of a relatively long feed such as heretofore obtained with'feed of the telescopic cylinder type, the improved feed mechanism being characterized by the use of a single power cylinder and piston unit, thereby resulting in a uniform feed pressure maintained throughout the entire length of feed without resorting to the use of pressure balancers orthe like needed to balance the pressure of the various telescoping cylinders.

These objects are accomplished by a construction free of complication, and by an arrangement of parts resulting in a compact unit which is strong, durable and eflicient.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a drilling apparatus embodying the invention and shown in'a retracted position.

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1 but showing the drilling apparatus in a fully extended position, while Figure 3 is a view corresponding to Figure 2 but shown partly in section to show details of construction.

Figure'4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken on line 44 in Figure 1.

Figure 5 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken on line 55 in Figure 1.

Figure 6 is an enlarged end elevational view of the drilling apparatus looking in the direction of the arrows 6-6 in Figure l and turned 90? in a clockwise direction.

Figure 7 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 7--7 in Figure 1 and also turned 90" in a clockwise direction.

Figures 8 and 9 are cross-sectional 'views taken on line 88 in Figure 7, showing the throttle valve in diiferent positions.

Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 10-10 in Figure 7.

Figures 11 and 12 are cross-sectional views taken on line 11-11 in Figure 7, showing the throttle valve in difierent positions.

It will be understood from the following description that Figures 7, 8, 10 and 11 show the throttle valve positioned during the drilling operation, and that Figures 9 and 12 show the throttle valve positioned to cut off supply of pressure fluid to the feed cylinder and drilling motor and exhaust the pressure fluid from the feed cylinder.

Referring to the drawings, generally designates a fluid actuated rock drill or drilling motor of the percussive type well known in this art. Briefly it comprises a back head 21, a cylinder 22 and'front head 23 secured together by side bolts 24. the front end, on which a piston, not shown, reciprocating within the cylinder 22 delivers impacts in rapid succession.

As shown in Figure 7, back head 21 is equipped with a rotatable cylindrical throttle valve 25 retained therein by a gland nut 27, through which extends the valve shank 28 having afiixed to its free end a valve operating handle 29. The throttle valve is provided with a central bore 30 in constant communication with one end 31 of a pressure fluid conveying conduit 32, through a port 33.

As shown in Figures 8 and 9, the external wall of valve with the central bore 30 through a radial port 36;

Within thercross plane indicated by line 88 in Figure 7,

back head 21 is machined to receive the screw threaded connection end 37 of a flexible conduit 38, which end is in communication with the valve through a port 39. In the same plane is also located a vent'4ll which leads from the valve to the outside of back head 21.

Within the cross plane indicated by line 1010 in Figure 7, back head 21 is provided with a bore having slidable therein a spring biased plunger 41 having'its outer end adapted to fit within either of two peripherally spaced notches 42, only one of which is shown on the drawing, for holding the valve in two different positions. Within the cross plane. indicated by line li11 in Figure 7, throttle valve26 is provided with a radial port 43 affording possible registry of central bore 30 with a passage 44 through which pressure fluid may be supplied to the drilling motor 20 for actuating same in the usual' formed with a cylindrical chamber 54 extending sub-' stantially the full length thereof and closed at its lower end by an abutment-engaging pointed end 51. The upper end of chamber is closed by a screwed in head 52 through which extends the piston rod 53 of a piston 54 slidably mounted within chamber 50. This piston, which is of the single acting type carries one or more cup shaped packings 55 facing toward the lower end of the chamber, which packings are retained on the inner end of the piston rod 53 by a follower 56 and nut 57. Near its upperend, cylinder 49 has formed on one side thereof and integrally therewith a longitudinally extending block 58, which as shown in Figure 6 is provided with laterally spaced and longitudinally extending parallel guide-ways 59. r a

Interposed between the drilling motor 20 and the feed cylinder 49, there is an elongated sliding frame generally designated by 60, which is formed of two parallel laterally spaced channel members 61. The two channel members are clamped against the ends of spacer sleeves 62 mounted on cross bolts 63. As seen in Figure 6, the lower sides of the channel members 61 constitute. guides 64 closely fitted within the guide-ways 59 of the feed cylinder 49 for guided sliding movement relative thereto. Similarly the upper ends of the channel members constitute guides 65 closely fitted for slidable guided movement within corresponding guide-ways 66 formed within the underside portion of the guide block 45. Near its upper end, sliding frame has fixed to its guides 64, by bolts 67, a bracket 68 formed with a bore in which is fixed, by a nut 70, the reduced free end 69 of the piston rod 53.

On each spacer sleeve 62 carried by the end cross Patented Julie 2a, was

bolts 63 of the frame 60 71 having a taut flexible member or chain 72 passing is rotatably mounted a roller over them with two portions extending therefrom parallelly and longitudinally between the channel members 61 of frame 60, with the ends of the chain attached to the underside of the guide block 45 between the guide-ways 66 by a clamping plate 73 and bolts 74. At a place equally spaced from its ends or its connection with guide block 45, chain 72 is also attached to the upper end of cylinder 49 or more particularly to a pad 80, rising between the guide-ways 5901? the block'58, by a clamping plate 81 and bolt 82. I

From back head 21, flexible conduit 38 leads to the lower end of cylinder 49, where its threaded end connection 75 is secured in atboss 76 and opens into the lower end of chamber 50. This conduit is long enough to assume substantially the position shown in Figures 2 and 3 when the drilling apparatus is. fully extended.

From the foregoing description, it will be understood that theguides 64 of the frame 60 are slidably fitted within the guide-ways 59 of the cylinder 49 and together form a guiding connection between the frame 60 and cylinder 59. It will also be understood that the bracket 68 forms a driving connection between the frame 60 and the free end of the piston rod 53, thereby enabling the frame to move freely with the piston '54 relative to the stationary cylinder 49. Similarly, thedrilling motor 20is adapted to move longitudinally on the frame 60, the guideovays of its guide block 45 being fitted over the guides65 of the frame to assure guided movement of the drilling motor on its supporting frame.

In the operation, when the apparatus is in the retracted position shown in Figure 1 and is held in that upright position by the operator, upon turning of the throttle valve 26 to the positions shown in Figures 8, l and 11, pressure fluid supplied bythe conduit 32 into central bore 30 will flow therefrom through port 36 and port 39 into conduit 38' and into thelower end of piston chamber 50 of feed cylinder 49 through the connection 75. In this instance, pressure fluid admited in the lower end of the cylinder will act on piston 54 to drive it upwardly, thereby causing upward movement of frame 60 through the guide ways 59 found that by the present aggroupment of parts, their length as well as the length of the sliding bearings between relatively slidable parts, makes it possible to obtain longer feed for the drilling motor for a given retracted length of the apparatus, than heretofore possible with any known feeding mechanism of this type. Because of the arrangement of the partsas above described, it is possible in the retracted position of the apparatus for the lower ends of the drilling motor and sliding frame 60 to be substantially level or flush with the lower end of cylinder 49, while the upper end of the sliding frame is well above or beyond the corresponding end of the drilling motor. In the extended position, the sliding frame 60 is well beyond the upper end of the stationary cylinder 49, only a relatively small portion of its guides 64 remain within the guide-ways 59, while the front end ofthe drilling motor 20 is also well beyond the correof the apparatus, the sliding bearings or supporting means of cylinder 49 at the same rate of speed as that of the I piston relative to the cylinder. v I

Since chain 72 is attached to both the upper end of the stationary feed cylinder and the drilling motor 20, the frame 60 during its upward movement will, through its upper roller 71, act on the chain 72 to effect sliding motion ofthe drilling motor on the frame at the same rate of speed and same direction as that of the frame 'on the cylinder and consequently at twice the speed of the frame relative to the stationary cylinder.

ln the position of the throttle valve as shown in Figure ll, pressure fluid from central bore 30 is also free' to flow through valveradial port 43 into passage 44,

and therefrom into the drilling motor 20 for actuating same and causing impacts in rapid succession to be delivered to the drill steel 25. I I

When it is, desired to retract the apparatus or lower the drilling motor, thethrottle valve may be positioned as shown in Figures 9 and '12. In this instance, pressure fluid is cut off fromthe drilling motor 20 by port 43 moved out of registry with passage 44. At. the same time, supply of pressure fluid is also cut'otf from piston chamber 50 by groove 34 moved out of registry with port 39, and groove 35 connecting port 39 with exhaust or vent 40, thereby enabling exhaust of the pressure fluid from the piston chamber 50 and collapse or retraction of theapparatus by gravity. By more or less complete registration of groove 35 with ports 39 and 40, it is possible for the operator to control the rate of speed at which retraction of theapparatus takes place.

While drilling apparatus of the type wherein feeding motion is imparted to the drilling motor at twice the rate of speed of the primary feeding element, have been between the stationary cylinder 49 and sliding frame 60 are close together within the upper end portion of the cylinder. As the apparatus is gradually extended during the normal drilling operation, these two supporting hearing means, that is, the sliding engagement of block 58 with the frame and the bracket 68 connecting the front ends of the frame and piston rod, gradually move apart to assume the finalfully extended position shown in Figures. 2 and 3. sliding frame 60 are connected to and supported by the stationary cylinder 49, thereby affording the entire drilling apparatus to operate efficiently until it reaches its fully extended position, without danger of distortion and with the assurance that the drilling motor 20 and its drill steel 25 willalways :be fed to the work parallelly to the center axis of the feed cylinder'to maintain the .best and most advantageous drilling In a drilling. apparatus," a stationary upright cylinder.

havingi'ai piston slidable therein, an abutment engaging lower end for said cylinder, a piston rod extending from said piston throughtheupper end of said cylinder, means admitting pressure fluid within the lower end ofsaid cylinder-for effecting upward movement of said piston and rod, parallel guide-ways on the upper end portion .ofTsaid cylinder; an upright frame alongside of said cylinder formed oftwo parallel channel bars mounted backito back in spaced relationship, said bars forming a first and a second pair of parallel guides extending the-full length of said bars, said first pair being slidable within said guide-ways,a rigid connection between the upper ends of said rod' and frame transmitting upward movement of the former to the latter, a drilling motor, parallel guide-ways on said drilling motor, said second pair of guides beingslidable within last said guide-ways, rollers between the ends of said bars, and a flexible member betweensaid bars taut over said rollers and attached to said motor and the upper end of said cylinder whereby upward slidable movement of said frame is transmittedto said motor at a different rate of speed from that of said frame relative to said cylinder.

References Citedin the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,029,223 Curtis Jan. 28, 1936 2,055,520 Curtis Sept. 29, 1936 2,130,982 Gar'tin Sept. 10, 1938 2,296,816 Curtis Sept. 22, 1942 2,704,203 Feucht Mar. 15, 1955 In this last position, both ends of the

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