AN APPARATUS FOR THE AUTOMATIC PLACEMENT OF BANK STICKS

Abstract: An apparatus intended for use when placing bank sticks (4) is mounted on a vehicle and assigned partly an automatically working percussion hammer (11, 11') adapted to make a hole in the ground for each single bank stick (4), partly an independent magazine (3) for a supply of bank sticks placed on the vehicle (2). For automatic placement of the bank sticks, the apparatus comprises a funnel (7) which, in an active guiding position, narrows downwardly towards an open bottom opening thereof, and being adapted to cooperate with said percussion hammer (11, 11') during the hole-making, as well as assigned a bank stick handling device (15-18) having a catching and holding means (16, 20, 21). The catching and holding means (16, 20, 21) for the bank sticks (4) is, via said handling device (15-18), movable between a bank stick fetching position at the outlet (3') of the magazine (3) and a bank stick placing position. In the latter position, the catching and holding means (16, 20, 21) cooperates such with the guide funnel (7), via the bank stick (4) itself, that the latter is guided towards the desired vertical position, its lower end portion aligned with the hole made by the percussion hammer (11, 11') during a previous operation.

Description: AN APPARATUS FOR THE AUTOMATIC PLACEMENT OF BANK STICKS This invention relates to an apparatus for the automatic placing of bank sticks and the like for snow clearing and similar purposes, said apparatus being intended to be mounted onto a vehicle and, preferably, assigned partly an automatically working percussion hammer adapted to make a hole in the ground for each snow bank stick, partly a magazine for a supply of bank sticks. With vehicle-carried apparatus, the working operations thereof are to be controlled from the driver's cabin. So-called bank stick setters are previously constructed in various designs. Mutual features in known placing apparatus of this kind consist in the use of a percussion hammer designed and supported for "drilling" of the hole in the ground for the bank stick, while the placement of the stick in the hole is performed manually. The apparatus may be mounted at the rear of a truck or in front on another vehicle. Prior art bank stick setters presuppose that one man stays outside the vehicle, thereby being under the necessity of working in a place subjected to both traffic and polution, involving risk of being run over, as well as being bothered by noice and exhaust. Therefore, there is a need of an automatic bank stick setter operable from the driver's cabin of the vehicle carrying the apparatus. In accordance with the invention, this need has been covered by means of an apparatus of the kind indicated in the introduction, that is designed and adapted according to the characterizing part of claim 1. Thus, an apparatus for automatic placement of bank sticks according to the invention, comprises a vertically pivotable funnel narrowing downwardly in the active position thereof, said funnel co-operating with said percussion hammer during the making of holes, and being assigned a bank stick fetching, handling and placing device equipped with a releasable catching and holding means for one single bank stick, said fetching, handling and placing device being pivotable between two extreme positions, in one of which the catching and holding means occupies a position for the fetching of a bank stick from the magazine, said other extreme position corresponding to the position of the catching and holding means when placing the bank stick in an upright position, said catching and holding means during the last phase of the bank stick handling operation, via the bank stick itself, co-operates such with the funnel that the latter guides the bank stick into vertical position, with the lower stick end alligned with the hole in the ground made by the percussion hammer during a previous operation. Subordinate, advantageous features of a device of the kind in question, are indicated in the following sub claims. In order to obtain a unitary coherent apparatus, the bank stick fetching, handling and placing device carrying the catching and holding means may be mounted on the guide funnel, via a support bracket rigidly fastened to the funnel and being incorporated into said handling device and to which one end of said device's pivot or articulation arm is pivotably supported about a horizontal axis. The other end of the articulation arm is articulated to the releasable catching and holding means for the bank stick, the handling device comprising an articulated parallelogram permitting a controlled rotation between the two extreme positions of the catching and holding means, i.e. the fetching and placing positions thereof. With such a unitary coherent apparatus design, it is appropriate that the vertical rotational plane of the funnel extends laterally of the vehicle's longitudinal/driving direction, the bank stick handling device being rotary partly in relation to the funnel, partly in relation to the vehicle, in a vertical plane crossing the vertical rotational plane of the funnel at right angles, i.e. extending in parallel to the longitudinal vertical central plane of the vehicle. As the bank stick handling device, according to this preferred embodiment, is presupposed to be connected to the guide funnel, said handling device, moreover, is pivotable in relation to the vehicle, in the rotational plane of the funnel, together with the latter. In such a case, said percussion hammer and its turning device may advantageously be incorporated as a further component within the coherent apparatus, the bank stick magazine constituting an independent component, the lower outlet of which being assigned means, e.g. brushes, in their uninfluenced condition adapted to keep overlaying bank sticks in place in the magazine, said means/brushes when activated through external influence from the releasable catching and holding means of the handling device, permitting individual downwardly directed extraction of one bank stick at a time. In order to avoid that the guide funnel has to be swung substantially upwards immediately subsequently to a bank stick placement operation in order to free the just placed bank stick when driving the vehicle forwards, the funnel may advantageously be formed with a through-going cavity in the rear wall of the funnel, as seen in the driving direction, the cavity extending over the full height extent of the funnel in the active guiding position thereof. Thus, a number of bank sticks may be placed with the funnel at least partially swung-down ( some swinging-up of the funnel takes place whenever a new bank stick is picked from the magazine ) . The releasable catching and holding means of the bank stick handling device may be designed in various ways, provided that it is capable of being brought into firmly maintaining releasable engagement with one single bank stick. For example, the catching and holding means may be formed with an inwardly narrowing V-shaped guide slot opening into a locking groove wherein one bank stick might be kept sufficiently securely retained for rotational movement into guiding engagement with one end thereof resting against the inner surface of the front wall of the guide funnel, as seen in the driving direction, and thereby being oriented into vertical placement position. Said V-shaped guide slot may for instance be formed from one pair of legs of two cooperating spring-loaded V-shaped guide plates movable in relation to each other between a first outer position wherein the distance between the opposing V-points of the V-guide plates exceeds the bank stick diameter, and a second inner position wherein said distance is less than the bank stick diameter. In said first position, the V-shaped guide slot is open towards said locking groove, for the supply of one bank stick into the latter, while the guide slot in said second position is closed with regard to the locking groove, in order to prevent extraction of a bank stick accomodated therein. The movement of said V-shaped guide plates in relation to each other may be effected, by way of example, by means of a hydraulic cylinder which in active position urges the guide plates out from each other, thereby opening the guide slot into the locking groove, for therein to enable insertion of one bank stick via the guide slot; whenever the piston is withdrawn into the cylinder, corresponding to the inactive position thereof, the guide plates are brought to take said second inner position wherein the V-shaped guide slot towards the locking groove is closed or narrowed so that the narrowest location thereof is smaller than the bank stick diameter. An automatic bank stick placing apparatus according to the invention is further explained in the following, reference being made to the drawings showing an exemplified embodiment, and wherein: Figure 1 shows a perspective view (sloping from above/ downwards ) of the rear portion of a truck having a guide funnel, a bank stick handling device and a percussion hammer mounted thereon as well as an independent bank stick magazine located on the loading area, where a bank stick is firmly maintained in the catching and holding means of the handling device, the bank stick being extracted from the magazine in a horizontal position, and where the percussion hammer is brought into position for making a suitable hole in the ground for the placement of the bank stick, which is to be rotated and placed during subsequent operations; Figure 2 - 4 are rear end views showing especially the percussion hammer in different positions, and wherein Figure 2 illustrates the handling device with its catching means in the bank stick fetching position; Figure 5 - 7 are side elevational views showing the guide funnel in active position and the handling device with a bank stick maintained in the catching and holding means in different positions; and Figure 8 is a rear end view corresponding to Figures 2 - 4, but wherein the guide funnel, the handling device and the percussion hammer are brought into inactive transport position, wherein the individual components take positions ensuring the desired compactness. In the drawings, the reference numeral 1 generally denotes a bank stick placing apparatus mounted to the loading area 2 of a vehicle, also carrying an independent magazine 3 for bank sticks 4. The apparatus 1 comprises a vertically oriented U-shaped main frame 5, preferably attached rearwardly on the loading area 2 by means of rapid couplings or the like (not shown). A sguare-pipe-shaped boom 6 extending laterally of the longitudinal direction of the loading area 2/the driving direction of the truck and carrying a guide funnel 7 narrowing downwardly in the active position thereof, as well as a percussion hammer frame 8, is pivotally supported in the main frame 5 by means of a horizontal shaft 9 and operated by means of an internally mounted hydraulic cylinder 10. Further, the actual percussion hammer 11, known per se, is movable in a vertical plane in relation to the funnel 7 in the rotational plane of the boom 6, and is for that purpose articulated to the frame 8 attached to the boom, via an articulation arm 12, which in its turn is operated by means of a hydraulic cylinder 13. To the front wall of the guide funnel 7, as seen in the driving direction, is securely attached a support bracket 14 extending at right angles to the rotational plane of the funnel 7, i.e. in parallel to the longitudinal direction of the loading area 2. To the bracket 14 is pivotally mounted a pivot or articulation arm 15 which, at the opposite end thereof, is articulated to a bank stick catching and holding means 16. The articulation arm 15 is assigned a parallel strut 17, and each of them forms one of two opposing sides of an articulated parallelogram, which together with the catching and holding means constitute the actual bank stick handling device, which is operated by means of a hydraulic cylinder 18 coupled in between the bracket 14 and the articulation arm 15. The bank stick magazine 3 extends funnel-shapedly narrowing in a downward direction towards a downwardly open outlet opening 3 ' , at each of the axial ends thereof there being mounted a pair of opposing brushes 19, the bristles of which facing each other, thereby trapping and retaining the ends of the lowermost bank sticks 4. The arrangement is such that one bank stick 4 at a time will occupy the lowermost discharge portion defined by the brush pairs 19. Thus, when the magazine 3, 3 ',19 is in an unaffected condition, i.e. not influenced by external forces, the brushes 19 will keep all bank sticks in place within the magazine, one lowermost bank stick being retained in readiness for downwardly directed extraction. The fetching of one bank stick 4 from the magazine 3, 3', 19 is effected by means of the catching and holding means 16, which for that purpose is formed with a V-shaped guide member 20, the inwardly (from the free ends of the guide member extending) narrowing groove of which terminating into a locking slot 21. For example, the V-shaped guide member 20 may comprise two possibly spring-loaded parts movable in relation to each other between two positions, said parts in one position having a spacing, at the narrowest groove portion, exceeding the bank stick diameter, in order to, in this position, to allow insertion of one bank stick into the locking slot 21, said parts in another position defining a narrowest groove portion of smaller width than the bank stick diameter, in order to prevent the bank stick from leaving the locking slot 21 unintentionally. The mutually movable parts of the guide member are adapted to be activated by a pressure fluid cylinder or similar operating means which, possibly in cooperation with springs, moves the guide member 20 between the open and closed position thereof. The detail designing of the catching and holding means is not directly the subject matter of the present invention; it should, however, be mentioned that the device further should be such that the bank stick is securely kept during the handling thereof by means of said handling device 15-18,20,21, from its horizontal position in the magazine 3 to its vertical position when placed into the ground, whereafter the releasable engagement of the bank stick with the catching and holding means 16 is brought to a cessation by means of said pressure cylinder/operating means, opening the groove of the guide member 20 at the narrowest location thereof forming the transition zone to the locking slot 21, whereby the width of said narrowest groove location exceeds the diameter of a bank stick. In accordance with Figure 1, the bank stick handling device 15-18,20,21 has just been turned upwards and caught a bank stick 4, as shown in Figure 2, which illustrates the fetching position of the handling device; whereafter the catching and holding means 16 of the handling device, retaining a bank stick 4 according to Figure 1, has been turned slightly downwards again, in order to bring the bank stick 4 clear of the magazine. According to Figure 2, the bank stick placing apparatus together with guide funnel 7 and percussion hammer 11 have been rotated from the placing position, Figures 6 and 7, to said fetching position, from which the funnel and percussion hammer may be rotated to the hole-making position according to Figure 3, wherein the funnel 7 with the lower end thereof is urged against the ground, and wherein the pointed end 11' of the percussion hammer 11 is making a hole 4a for a bank stick 4. Such a percussion hammer arrangement is known per se for similar purposes and, accordingly, will not be further described here; however, it should be mentioned that the funnel 7 which has an open bottom end, guides the percussion hammer 11,11' before and during the hole-making, preventing soil particles and lumps from falling into said hole prior to the placement of the bank stick 4. Subsequently to the hole-making, the percussion hammer 11, 11 ' is rotated upwards by means of the hydraulic cylinder 13 via the articulation arm 12, and takes thereafter a withdrawn position, Figure 4, wherein the funnel 7 is ready to receive the bank stick 4 carried by the catching and holding means 16,20,21 of the handling device 15-18,20,21. The bank stick placement itself, which is the main subject matter of the present invention, continues - after a bank stick 4 has been extracted from the magazine 3 and being retained within the catching and holding means 16,20,21 - in that the stick 4 via the handling device 15-18 is rotated into an upright position, Figure 6, wherein the lower end of the bank stick 4 has been brought into guided engagement with the inner surface of the front wall of the funnel 7, as seen in the driving direction, the funnel during the downwardly rotation of the handling device 15-18 guiding the lower end portion of the bank stick 4 downwards into the hole 4a just made by the percussion hammer 11,11' . This represents a flexible placing method wherein the individual bank sticks are deflected, following the guidance from the funnel 7, towards the hole 4a, where a reliable placement of the bank sticks is secured, independent on possibly non-regular shape on the sticks, both individually and with mutually differing shapes. After a bank stick 4 has been placed into a hole 4a and thereafter released from the catching and holding means 16,20,21 of the handling device 15-18 as previously mentioned, the boom 6 carrying the funnel 7 is rotated slightly upwards, whereafter it is turned impact-like downwards, in order to urge the lower end of the funnel 7 stamping or ramming around the hole, so that the soil mass is packed about the bank stick 4. In order to avoid a too large rotational angle when turning the guide funnel 7 upwards while the vehicle is driving forwards, after one bank stick 4 has been placed, the rear wall of the funnel 7, as seen in the driving direction, is formed with a cavity 7' which is through-going in the direction of height. Between each two adjacent bank stick placement locations, the funnel 7 together with associated components 11 and 15- 18 are turned up into the bank stick fetching position shown in Figure 2. During transport, the components of the apparatus are rotated such that they are crowded space- savingly together, Figure 8, substantially located within the lateral limitations of the vehicle.

Claims: C l a i s 1. An apparatus for the automatic placement of bank sticks (4) and the like, said apparatus being intended to be mounted on a vehicle (2) and, preferably, being assigned partly an automatically working percussion hammer (11,11') adapted to make a hole (4a) in the ground for each single bank stick (4), partly a magazine (3) for a supply of bank sticks (4), c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the apparatus comprises a guiding funnel (7) rotary in a vertical plane and, in an active position, narrowing downwardly and having a bottom end aperture, said funnel (7) being adapted to cooperate with said percussion hammer (11,11' ) during the hole-making, as well as assigned a bank stick handling device (15-18) having a catching and holding means (16,20,21) which, via the handling device (15-18), is movable between a bank stick fetching position at the outlet (3 ',19) of the magazine (3) and a bank stick placing position, wherein the catching and holding means (16,20,21) cooperates such with the guide funnel (7), via the bank stick (4) itself, that the latter is guided into vertical placement position, the lower end portion thereof being aligned with the hole (4a) made by the percussion hammer (11,11") in a previous operation. 2. An apparatus as set forth in Claim 1, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the funnel (7) carries a support bracket (14) rigidly mounted thereon and supporting said bank stick handling device (15-18) which, through a pivot or articulation arm (15), is pivotally connected to the bracket (14) about a horizontal axis, said articulation arm (15) which is articulated to the bank stick catching and holding means (16,20,21), constitutes one of two opposing sides of an articulated parallelogram which, in addition to the links on the bracket and on the catching and holding means (16,20,21), comprises a parallel strut (17) constituting the second one of said opposing sides, a driven operating means in the form of a pressure fluid cylinder ( 18 ) being operatively inserted between the bracket (14) and the handling device (15-18), in order to effect rotational movement of the catching and holding means (16, 20,21) in relation to the funnel (7). 3. An apparatus as set forth in Claim 1 or 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the guide funnel (7) is rotary in a vertical plane extending at right angles to the longitudinal or driving direction, respectively, of the vehicle (2), the bank stick handling device (15-18) being rotary in relation to the funnel (7) in a vertical plane extending perpendicularly to the rotational plane of the funnel (7), i.e. extending in parallel to the longitudinal or driving direction of the vehicle (2). 4. An apparatus as set forth in Claim 1, 2 or 3, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the bank stick catching and holding means (16) is formed with an inwardly narrowing, V-shaped guide member (20), the narrowest groove portion of which terminating into a locking slot (21), which is formed for acco odating one bank stick, said V-shaped guide member ( 20 ) being openable and closable in order to widen or restrict, respectively, the narrowest groove portion thereof, so that the latter becomes larger or smaller, respectively, than the bank stick diameter, during opening or closing, respectively, of the V-shaped guide member ( 20 ) . 5. An apparatus as set forth in any one of the preceding Claims , c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the funnel (7) is formed with a through-going side wall cavity (7' ) which, in the active guiding position of the funnel (7), extends over the entire height extent thereof. 6. An apparatus as set forth in any one of the preceding Claims, c h a r a c t e r i z e d i n that the bank stick magazine (3) has a bottom outlet (3' ) equipped with opening-restricting means, e.g. cooperating brushes (19), arranged at the opposite ends of the outlet (3'), said brushes (19) being adapted to keep the bank sticks (4) in place within the magazine, but allowing individual extraction of one single bank stick at a time by means of the catching and holding means (16,20,21).

Inventors: RISA STEINAR, RISA, STEINAR
Applicants: RISA STEINAR, RISA, STEINAR
Application year: 1990
Main classification: E01F9
IPC codes: E01F9, E04H17