A METHOD OF CONVERTING A VEHICLE TO A TRANSPORTABLE WORKING MACHINE,AND A COMBINED VEHICLE AND WORKING MACHINE,E.G.A DROPHAMMER FOR MAKING HOLES,A DRILLING MACHINE OR THE LIKE

Abstract: Method of converting a vehicle, such as a truck, a tractor, a lorry or the like to a steerable working machine for specific working purposes, e. g. a hammer arrangement for making holes, or a drilling machine, and combined vehicle and working machine. The working machine (30) in question is mounted on the chassis of the vehicle (1) and is arranged to be operated from an operating location (9) which is fixed or movable relative to the vehicle. The vehicle is provided with an additional driving mechanism (23-25; 23', 25'), e.g. a hydraulic motor having a driving element (25; 25') which can be moved between an active and an inactive position and which is arranged to engage the vehicle wheels (3) or the vehicle transmission system (20, 21, 22) for slowly propelling the vehicle and a separate remote-control means (12-16) actuating the vehicle steering system (10, 11). The drive mechanism (23-25; 23', 25') and the remote-control means (12-16) are operated from said operating location (9).

Description: A method of converting α vehicle to α transportable working machine, and a combined vehicle and working machine, e.g. a drop-hammer for making holes, a drilling machine or the like. The present invention relates to a method of converting a vehicle, such as a truck, tractor and the like, to a transportable working machine, such as- a drop-hammer for forming holes, a drilling machine or the like. One object of the invention is to increase the field of use of a vehicle of the described kind, without seriously limiting the possibilities of the vehicle to be driven along the roads and highways. Another object of the invention is to provide a working machine which is equipped to carry out specific work and which can be dri¬ ven between different working sites quickly and comfortably , and which is economical in operation. It has previously been proposed to mount a working machine, such as a drop-hammer or drilling machine, on the chassis or floor of a vehicle, and to provide means whereby said working machine can be operated from a fixed location on the vehicle or from a non-fixed location. In its widest aspect, the present invention is mainly characterized in that the vehicle is provided with an additional driving mechanism, e.g. a hydraulic motor, having driving elements which are movable between an active and an inactive position and which engage the wheels of the vehicle or the transmission system of said vehicle in a manner to slowly propel the vehicle , and a separate remote-control means arranged to control the ve¬ hicle steering system; and in that means are provided for enab¬ ling said additional drive mechanism and said remote-control means to be operated from said operating location. The additional drive mechanism and remote-control means enable the vehicle to be driven between various, closely adjacent locations on a working site where specific work is to be carried out, without the driver or operator needing to use the normal drive and steering means of the vehicle for this purpose. At the same time, the vehicle can be driven in a conventional man¬ ner to the working site in question, where the driver of the vehicle can be employed to operate the working machine mounted on the vehicle. The method according to the invention affords particularly useful advantages in those cases where similar • work is to be carried out at various, closely adjacent locations, such as the making of holes for fence posts along a road, in which case the working machine has the form of a drop-hammer, or when a plurality of closely adjacent drill holes are to be made in conjunction with a blasting operation, in which case the working machine may comprise a drilling, machine. One very important advantage is that the normal driving and steer systems of the vehicle can remain more or less intact, despite the provision of the additional driving mechanism and the separat remoter-control means. Thus, this means that a vehicle converted in accordance with the invention fulfils the road-worthiness re¬ quirements etc. applicable when the vehicle is driven along roads and highways. In practice, the working machine is preferably arranged on the vehicle in a manner such ' as to enable it to move between a rest position and-a transport position, and one- or more working po¬ sitions at the side of and/or behind the vehicle. The advantage gained whereby the working machine can be readily transported to the working site in question, where the vehicle is readily converted to said working machine. For the purpose of facilitating this conversion, the working machine is preferably arranged so that it can be swung around at least two mutually perpendicular axes and so that it can be-displaced- hoxizontally in the working position, i.e. trans¬ versely of and/or parallel with the longitudinal axis of the vehicle. In accordance with one embodiment, a frame structure associated with the working machine is arranged for vertical movement , e.g. by telescoping so that it can serve as a vehicle-support element when the movable part of said working machine carries out work. A simple and useful vehicle remote-control means can be pro¬ vided by mounting in the centre of the steering-wheel arrange- ment an output shaft άξr a slowly rotatable motor, e.g. a hy¬ draulic motor. This output shaft can be arranged to control the conventional steering shaft of the steering arrangement within the steering column. At the same time, a fixed part of said motor, e.g. its casing, can be connected to a fixed point on the vehicle. In this way, the remote-control means can be readily mounted , ?____ __ \ ή. VIPO , by inserting the output shaft of the motor into the hole present in the centre of the steering wheel, optionally subsequent to first removing a signal device or the like covering said hole. The motor of the remote-control means can be readily mounted when the casing of said motor is connected to said fixed location on the vehicle via a rod or the like which extends parallel with the steering rod of the vehicle. The additional drive means of the vehicle can be provided with a hollow output shaft arranged parallel with the universal drivin shaft of the vehicle in the region where said shaft is joined to an intermediate shaft. When the additional drive means is displaced, its output shaft will move to said active position, where it engages about said joint location. Thus, rotation of the.,drive means will be transmitted directly to said inter¬ mediate shaft, thereby causing the drive wheels of the vehicle to turn. In an alternative arrangement, the output shaft of the additional drive means may be provided with a wheel or a roller suitably constructed , said wheel or roller exerting frictional engage¬ ment against one of the wheels of the vehicle. The operating location for the working machine, the additional drive means and the remote-control means may suitably be at a point on one side of the vehicle or behind said vehicle, so that the operator has a clear view of the working machine and the area close in front of the vehicle, i.e. so that both the working machine and the vehicle can be driven from the working location in question without disadvantage or without takin un¬ necessary risk. The operating location may have the form of a panel incorporating the control, means necessary for the given- functions, suitably a combination of hydraulic control means and valve means , and electric switches. The invention also relates to a combined vehicle and working 5 machine, e.g.-- a drop-hammer far making-holes- a..drilling machine or the like, said working machine being carried on the • floor of a vehicle or on its chassis , said combination being characterized by a) an additional drive mechanism, e.g. a hydraulic motor, 10 haying a drive element which is arranged for movement between an active and inactive position and which engages a vehicle wheel or the. transmission system of said vehicle for slowly propelling said vehicle, b) a remote-control means for controlling the steering system 15 of the vehicle, c) a working machine movable between a transport position sub¬ stantially parallel with the longitudinal axis of the vehicle and a substantially vertical working position on one side of or behind the vehicle, in which working position a frame part 20 associated with said working machine is held loosably fixed relative to the vehicle and supports against the surface on which said vehicle stands, wherein d) the additional driving mechanism, the remote-control means and the working machine can be operated from operating means 25 mounted on a fixed location on the vehicle or at a non-fixed location. In a combination of the kind described it is preferred that the working machine is carried by a slide arranged for horizontal 30 movement in guides, said slide being turnable or rotatable on a horizontal turn plate and being connectable in the working position of said machine with force-absorbing beams comprising part of or joined to the floor or chassis of the vehicle. In this way there is obtained in said working position a par- ticularly stable support for the machine whilst enabling said machine to be moved to its rest or transport position in a simple manner. In a .combination of the aforedescribed kind, the working machine comprises a drop-hammer arrangement for making holes and includes a) a frame part, b) a hammer, which, in the working position, is arranged to be moved vertically along the frame part by means of a hydraulic device, c) a massive pierce or drift carried by the hammer, and d) a casing tube which surrounds the drift either completely or partially. Such a casing tube is used when making holes in certain kinds of ground , said tube preventing the walls of a hole collapsing before a post or the like can be inserted thereinto. Quite often, however, the casing tube becomes firmly wedged in the hole , requiring a relatively large force to withdraw said tube from the ground. To facilitate withdrawal of the casing tube from the ground, a preferred combination of the aforedescribed kind is charac¬ terized by a winch arrangement having a line attached to said casing and extending on both sides of the hammer, for drawing said casing out of the ground, said line being arranged to co- act with the hammer in a manner such that the hydraulic device for vertically moving the hammer can serve to withdraw said tube while relieving the winch arrangement. The arrangement can also be such that the actual withdrawing operation is..-carried out in two sta . ges in which the hydraulic device assists in the tube-withdrawing operation. During the first stage, a horizontal upper part of the line lies against the upper part of the hammer, while during the second stage, in which part of the line is wound on the winch drum, fork- like means or the like arranged on the hammer engage separate means arranged on said line for said purpose. In both cases, the powerful hydraulic device which provides the vertical move¬ ment of the hammer arrangement via a chain or line, assists in the withdrawal of the tube from the ground to a point where said tube is substantially loosened from said ground, so that the winch is able to complete the withdrawing operation. In order to satisfy those requirements placed in practice on a hammer arrangement of the kind described, it is preferred that said hammer frame part is pivotable or rotatable in its essentially vertical working position around at least one sub¬ stantially horizontal axis. In practice, it is preferred that the hammer arrangement on said turn plate is rotatable about a substantially vertical axis and about two mutually perpendi- cular horizontal axes. In this way, the hammer arrangement can be moved into various inclined positions relative to the ve¬ hicle, which is an advantage when making certain types of holes, As a whole, a working machine in the form of a hammer arrange¬ ment of the described kind is highly flexible , to which the additional drive mechanism and separate remote-control means contribute. An exemplary embodiment of the invention will now be described in more detail with reference to .the accompanying drawings. • Figure 1 is a perspective view of a truck combined with a working tool in the form of a hammer arrangement. - Figures 2-5 are front views of the working tool during various- stages of withdrawing a casing tube from the ground, Figures 2a and' 4a illustrating elements in the form of a section taken on the line 2a-2a in Figure 2 and a perspective part view in larger scale of an element shown in Figure 4. In Figure 1, the reference 1 identifies a truck which has been converted so that it can simultaneously serve as a working machine in the form of a hammer arrangement for making holes. In Figure 1, the hammer arrangement is generally identified by the reference 30 and is . shown in full lines, while the rest position of said machine on the floor 4 of the truck is shown in chain lines. The truck 1 is more or less of conventional design having front wheels 2, rear wheels 3 , a driving cabin 5 and a hydraulically- actuated lifting means 6, said means 6 being operated from an operating location 7 behind the cabin. The truck is also provided with hydraulically activatable support legs 8. The driver cabin 5 is equipped in a conventional manner with steering means in the form of a steering wheel 10 and a steering rod 11. The steering means, however, is arranged to be operated from a location outside the driver cabin, in the illustrated case from an operating panel 9 in the region of the rear part of the ve- .hicle. To this end, the signal means normally located in the centre of the steering wheel 10 has been removed and an output shaft 13 of a hydraulic motor 12 inserted and instead, said 5 hydraulic motor 12 being operated from the panel 9.. The output - • shaft 13 of the m or 12 directly encages the-steering axle (not shown) located in the steering rod 11, so that the for¬ ward wheels 2 of the vehicle can be steered by rotating the motor 12 in either direction. 10 To enable the remote-control means to be reliably operated, the casing of the motor 12 is joined to a fixed point of the ve¬ hicle. This is achieved in the Figure 1 embodiment, by joining a transversely extending rod 14 with a rod 15 which extends 15 parallel with the steering rod 11 and which when the motor 12 is mounted in position in the centre of the steering wheel is inserted into. a tube 16 fixedly connected to said vehicle, said tube 16 also extending parallel with the steering rod 11. In this way, the remote-control means can be readily moun- 20 ted in position and removed when the vehicle is to be driven in a conventional manner along a road or highway. In order also to enable the vehicle to be propelled over short distances by means of operating signals sent from the panel ' 9 25 without using the normal drive means of the vehicle, there is provided an additional drive mechanism which can be operated from said operating panel 9. Two mutually different embodiments of such additional drive mechanisms are indicated in Figure 1. 30 In the case of one.of said embodiments, the drive mechanism acts on the conventional vehicle transmission system, whose cardan shaft 20, universal coupling 21 and intermediate shcfft 22 have been shown in dash lines in the Figure. The additonal driving mechanism—comprises a hydraulic.motor.having an.output shaft 24 which carries a yoke 25 arranged to engage and en- circle the universal coupling 21 when the hydraulic motor 23 is displaced on guides 26, so that the rotary movement of the motor is transmitted to the rear drive wheels 3 of the vehicle via the intermediate shaft 22. Displacement of the drive motor 23 can be suitably effective manually, although it is , of course, also possible to guide the displacement of the motor to said active position from the panel 9, if so desired. An alternative arrangement is also illustrated in Figure 1 , in full lines, in which arrangement a hydraulic motor 23' car¬ ries a toothed roller 25', via an output shaft (not shown) , which roller directly engages the rear driving wheel 3 of the vehicle. In this embodiment, the additional driving mechanism is carried by a support structure 26' capable of being swung to said active position. Irrespective of the kind of additional driving mechanism used, it will be understood that the vehicle transmission system shall be disengaged from the conventional drive motor of the vehicle. In the Figure .1 embodiment , the working tool machine 30 carried on the vehicle floor 4 comprises a hammer arrangement 30 for making holes. The hammer arrangement comprises a frame part 31 which forms a so-called feed beam for the hammer 32, said hammer carrying at its lower end a solid drift or pierce 45 which - with the exception of its lower end - is surrounded by α casing tube 46. The hammer arrangement 30 is arranged for movement between the working position shown in full lines in Figure 1 and the rest or transport position shown in chain lines, in which latter position it is parallel with the longitudinal axis of the ve¬ hicle. For carrying the hammer arrangement there is provided on the ve¬ hicle floor 4 a circular turn-plate 35 which carries two mutually parallel beams 36 (only one of which is shown in Figure 1) said beams being movable on said turnplate 35 by means of wheels or τolleτs 37. The two beams 36-together form a guide for the hori- zontal displacement of a slide 39 which carries the frame part of said working machine 30 via two horizontal shafts 39 and 40, which are mutually perpendicular to one another. In addition to being possible to move the slide, and therewith the working machine, horizontally in the guides formed by the beams 36, to positions at different distances from the sides or the rear of the vehicle, the frame part 31 of the working machine 30 can be swung or pivoted on the two shafts 40 and 41, so that said frame part can be adjusted to different inclined positions rela¬ tive to the vehicle. The shaft 40 has a greater horizontal length than the width of the frame part, and hence said frame part is also horizontally displaceable on the shaft 40. When the working tool or machine has been brought to said verti¬ cal working position, the beams 36 are secured relative to the turn plate, and therewith relative to the floor or chassis of the vehicle, by means of separate rods or beams 33 , which can be inserted between said beams 36 and the turn-plate 35. The slide 39, however, can still be displaced in the aforedescribed manner relative to the guide 38 formed by the beams 36. In the working position, the frame part 31 is caused to tele- scope downwardly by means of the hydraulic device 53 , so that the frame part forms a support against the ground or foundation surface for the working machine. In addition, the support legs 8 are suitably used for the same purpose > whereby the working machine obtains satisfactory sup¬ port in order to be able to work in the manner intended. Figures 2-5 illustrate the main part of a working machine in the form of a hammer arrangement, designed to facilitate withdrawal of a casing tube which has been pressed into the ground. As with the Figure 1 embodiment, the hammer 32 carries a solid drift or pierce 5, the -lower end of which has been cut square. In the starting position illustrated in Figure 2 , the drift and the casing tube 46 surrounding said drift have been driven into the ground , whereafter the hammer 32 and the drift 45 have been raised. For the purpose of withdrawing the casing tube from the ground, there is provided at the upper part of the hammer 32 a winch arrangement 50 having a drum 51 and a drive motor 51'. The winch is arranged to co-operate with a line 52 comprisin two parts, one on each side of the hammer, said line parts being ■ joined to outstanding flanges 46a on the casing tube. In many cases , the force exerted by the winch 50 is not suffi¬ cient to withdraw the tube from the ground, especially when said tube has become wedged in the hole formed, and hence a separate arrangement is used to withdraw said tube from the ground with BUK OΛ1 1 ' ' the assistance of the hydraulic device (not shown) by which the hammer 32 is moved along the frame part 31. Thus, the winch drum 51 is provided with two stirrups 51a (c.fr Figure 2a) take-up the line- 52 n a manner -such-that said line simultaneously rests against the upper end of the hammer 32. When ' the hammer is moved upwards from the position shown in Figure 2 to the position shown in Figure 3, the tube 46 will be lifted ,while at the same time relieving the " winch arrangement 50. Even-though the casing tube in the position illustrated in Figure 3 may be too firmly wedged in the ground in order to be removed therefrom by means of the winch arrangement, there is ' provided an arrangement which permits " regrip" " * and renewed withdrawal of said tube with the aid of the hydraulic device for operating the hammer arrangement. Thus, the hammer arrangement 32 is provided on the sides thereof with obliquely outwardly extending lugs 32a (c.f. Figure 4a) having V-shaped re¬ cesses arranged to engage separate stop means 52a - e.g. "knots" - on the line 52. Figure 4 illustrates how said lugs 32a engage the stop means 52a, for carrying out a second stage in the with¬ drawal of said tube from the ground. The third stage in the withdrawing operation is illustrated in Figure 5. During the second stage, the tube has been loosened in the ground , so that the winch arrangement 50 can be used to finally withdraw said tube from said ground. The design of the stirrups 51a illustrated in Figure 2a cause the two parts of the line 52 to be wound symmetrically onto the drum 51, Figures 3,4 and 5 illustrate a post 56 which has been inserted in the hole 55 formed by the drift , prior to the tube 46 being OΓ PI : removed. In certain instances , the tube may be made of " paper or some other material which can be left in the hole 55. These tubes 5 have a smaller diameter than the tube 46 illustrated in the drawing, which tube 46 suitably comprises steel,: and is in¬ serted in the lastmentioned before it is withdrawn fro the ground. Figure 1 illustrates a plurality of such tubes 46 made of a paper material on the floor of the truck. ' 10 A vehicle converted in accordance with the invention can support other types of working machine without- departing from the concept of the invention. For example, the vehicle may carry a drilling machine arranged for movement in a corresponding 15 manner between a rest position and a working position. Various .types of hydraulic devices etc. can be used to move the working machine between its two limit positions. /., wι?

Claims: CLAIMS : - 1. A method of converting α vehicle (1) such as a truck, tractor into a transportable working machine for specific - working purposes,, e.g. a--hammer for hole making, a drilling machine or the like, the working machine in question, e.g. said hammer or said drilling machine, being mounted on the chassis or the floor of said vehicle and being actuable from an operating location (9) at a fixed point relative to said vehicle, or a non-fixed point, characterized in that the vehicle is pro¬ vided with an additional drive mechanism (23-25; 23',25'), e.g. a hydraulic motor having a drive element (25; 25') which is preferably movable between an active and an inactive position and which engages the vehicle wheels (3) or the vehicle trans¬ mission system (20,21,22) for slowly propelling the vehicle; and a remote-control means (12-16) arranged to control the ve- hide steering system (10,11) , and in that the additional drive mechanism and remote-control means are actuable from said ope¬ rating location. 2. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the working machine (30) is so arranged on the vehicle (1) that it can be moved between a rest position and transport position and one or more working positions at the side of or behind the vehicle. 3. A method according to claim 2, characterized in that the working machine is arranged to be pivotable or rotatable around at least two mutually perpendicular axes (40,41), and is horizon- talla displaceable in the working position, e.g. transversely and/or parallel with the longitudinal axis of the vehicle. 4. A method according to claim 3, characterized •in -that a frame part (31) associated with said working machine is arranged for vertical movement, e.g. by telescoping, in a manner such that said frame part serves as a support element for the vehicle when the working machine is in use. 5. A method according to any one of claims 1-4, characterized •in that for the purpose of remotely controlling the vehicle, -an output shaft (13) of a slowly rotatable motor, e.g. a hydrauli motor (12) is placed in the centre of the vehicle steering-wheel arrangement (10,11) in a manner such that the outward shaft (13) of said motor within the steering rod of said steering arrangement acts upon the steering axle at the same time as a fixed part of said motor, e.g. its casing, is connected to a fixed location in the vehicle. 6. A method according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that the additional drive means (23) of said vehicle is provided with an output shaft (24,25) arranged substantially parallel with the cardan shaft (20) of the vehicle and in the region of the universal coupling (21) to an intermediate shaft (22), said outpu shaft (24,25) being brought into driving engagement with said universal coupling when moved to said active position. 7. A combined vehicle and working machine, e.g. a hammer arrange ment for forming holes, a drilling machine or the like, said machine (30) being carried on a vehicle floor (4) or on the chassis of said vehicle, characterized by a) an additional drive mechanism (23-25; 23',25') having a drive element (25; 25') which is preferably movable between an active and an inactive position and which is arranged to engage the vehicle wheels (3) or the vehicle transmission system (20, 21,22) for slowly propelling the vehicle, b) α remote-control means (12-16) for controlling the vehicle steering system (10,11), c) a working machine (30) which is movable between a transport position substantially parallel with the longitudinal axis of the vehicle and a substantially vertical working position on one side of or behind the vehicle, in which working position a frame part (31) associated with the working machine is held loosably fixed relatively to the vehicle and supports against the surface on which the vehicle stands, wherein d) the additional drive mechanism, the remote-control means and the working machine are operable from an operating location which is fixed relative to the vehicle or from a non-fixed position. 8. A combination according-to claim 7, characterized in that the working machine is carried by a slide (39) arranged for horizontal movement in guides (38), said slide being rotatable on a horizontal turn-plate (35) and, in the working position of the working machine, can be connected to force-absorbing beams (33) which comprise part of or are joined to the vehicle floor (4) or the vehicle chassis. 9. A combination according to claim 7 or claim 8, in which the working machine is a hammer arrangement (30) for forming holes and comprises a) a frame part ' (31), b) a hammer (32) arranged to be moved vertically along said frame part by means of a hydraulic device (53), c) a solid drift or pierce (45) carried by said hammer, d) a casing tube (46) completely or partially enclosing said drift (45), characterized by a winch arrangement (50) having a line (52) arranged on both sides of the hammer and connected to the casing tube (46) for lifting said casing tube , said line being arranged to co-act with the hammer (32) in a manner such that when the hammer is lifted vertically , the hydraulic device (53) assists in lifting the casing tube while relieving the winch arrangement (50). 10-. A combination according to claim 9, characterized in that the frame part (31) of the hammer arrangement (30) is arranged - for rotation in its substantial vertical position around at least one substantially horizontal shaft (40; 41).

Inventors: WIBOM G
Applicants: WIBOM G
Application year: 1979
Main classification: B60P3
IPC codes: B60K20, E02D7